Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikorodu has issued a landmark judgment ordering X Corp, the owner and operator of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), to disclose information capable of identifying the anonymous user of a parody account accused of manipulating a birthday post belonging to a Nigerian student. In a judgment delivered on June 5, 2026, a copy of which was recently made public, trial judge Justice Adeniyi Pokanu also awarded ₦20 million in general damages against the unidentified operator of the account, @boutmoney112, over the unauthorised alteration and republication of the applicant's social media post. The court further awarded conditional general damages of ₦50 million against X Corp, which will become payable if the company fails, omits, or refuses to comply with the order to disclose the information.
The judgment was delivered in Suit No. IKD/21207MFHR/2026, filed by Esther Agboola, a student who operates the X handle @agirlnamed_esth. According to court documents, Agboola posted photographs on January 9, 2026, with the caption, "Chapter 25. Happy Birthday to me!", to mark her 25th birthday. She told the court that the operator of @boutmoney112 subsequently retrieved an earlier post she made in January 2025 while celebrating her 24th birthday. The anonymous user allegedly altered the timestamp of that earlier post to make it appear that it had been published in January 2022. The court found that the alteration created a false narrative that the student had lied about her age, exposing her to cyberbullying, harassment, public ridicule, mental distress and reputational damage.
Agboola, represented by Dr. Olumide Babalola alongside M. Owodunni and H. Tofi, approached the court seeking declarations that her rights had been violated, damages and an order compelling X Corp to disclose information that could identify the anonymous account operator. Neither respondent filed any defence or appeared in court. Justice Pokanu held that the unauthorised manipulation, alteration and republication of the post violated Agboola's constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution. The court also found that the conduct amounted to unlawful and unfair processing of personal data contrary to Sections 24(1)(a) and 24(1)(e) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023. Section 24(1)(a) requires personal data to be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, while Section 24(1)(e) requires personal data to be accurate and not misleading. The judge relied on judicial authorities recognising that the constitutional protection of privacy extends beyond physical spaces to personal information and data, citing Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd v. Barr Godfrey Eneye and Incorporated Trustees of Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative & Ors v. NIMC.
The court directed X Corp to file an Affidavit of Disclosure within 14 days of service of the enrolled order of the judgment. The affidavit is to disclose information capable of identifying or locating the operator of @boutmoney112, including the person's full name, contact details, means of identification and any other relevant information held by X Corp. The judge held that X Corp, as the owner and operator of the platform, controls information and platform activity logs capable of assisting in identifying the anonymous user. The court also considered a Dutch court order compelling a social media platform to disclose the identity of an anonymous user, which had been relied upon in arguments before it. Justice Pokanu awarded ₦20 million in general damages against the unidentified second respondent for the mental anguish, emotional distress, harassment, reputational injury and violation of her privacy rights.
The case is one of the latest Nigerian judicial decisions addressing the intersection of constitutional privacy rights, personal-data protection and anonymity on social media platforms. Legal commentators have described the ruling as one of the most assertive judicial applications of Nigeria's Data Protection Act, 2023 against a foreign-domiciled social media company. It expands Nigerian jurisprudence on digital privacy, treating constitutional privacy rights as encompassing personal data shared online and signals a growing judicial willingness to compel platforms to unmask anonymous users accused of unlawful online conduct. The ruling underscores the increasing role of Nigerian courts in addressing disputes arising from digital communications, particularly where anonymous online activity is alleged to have infringed the rights and reputation of individuals.
The judgment also highlights the responsibilities of social media platforms operating in Nigeria under the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the NITDA Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms and Internet Intermediaries. As a data controller operating in Nigeria, X Corp bears obligations under the NDPA to assist in identifying perpetrators of rights violations. The court's order requiring X Corp to disclose the identity of the anonymous user within 14 days, backed by a ₦50 million penalty for non-compliance, represents a significant step towards holding platforms accountable for protecting users from digital harassment and privacy violations. For Agboola, the ruling brings a measure of justice after months of cyberbullying and reputational damage, while for millions of Nigerians who use social media, the judgment serves as a powerful reminder that the right to privacy extends to the digital realm, and that those who violate that right can be held accountable—even when they hide behind the cloak of anonymity.
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