The Federal High Court in Lagos has directed former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the Ministry of Information to disclose the details of the agreement between the Federal Government and Twitter.
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba gave the order in May 2024, following a Freedom of Information suit filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
According to the judgment, the agreement must be disclosed to assess its impact on Nigerians’ human rights online. Justice Dimgba held that the disclosure is in the public interest and does not affect Twitter’s business interests or Nigeria’s sovereignty and national security.
The court dismissed the objections raised by the minister’s counsel and upheld SERAP’s arguments, ordering the minister to provide a copy of the agreement to SERAP. The judge stated that the agreement must be disclosed, regardless of any potential harm to Twitter, as it is in the public interest.
SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, hailed the judgment as a victory for freedom of expression and privacy online. The organization called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately implement the judgment and disclose the details of the agreement.
Human rights activist, Femi Falana, commended the judgment, stating that it confirms Nigerians’ rights to freedom of expression and access to information online.
