Renowned human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, over alleged invasion of his privacy.
The suit, filed before a Lagos High Court through his lawyer, Olumide Babalola, accuses Meta of publishing a video and motion images on its platform, www.facebook.com, falsely suggesting that Falana suffers from a medical condition known as prostatitis. The publication, allegedly captioned AfriCare Health Centre, is said to have misrepresented his health status, an act Falana claims violates his fundamental right to privacy as guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
According to court documents, the activist argues that the publication is “false, inaccurate, misleading, and unfair,” constituting a breach of Section 24(1)(a) and (e) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023. Falana contends that the misinformation has damaged his reputation, causing him emotional and mental distress.
“The video paints me in a false light and invades my privacy,” Falana stated in his submission, emphasizing that he has never suffered from the condition mentioned. He further argued that Meta’s global reach means the misleading information has been viewed by millions worldwide since its publication in January 2023.
As part of his demands, Falana seeks a court order compelling Meta to immediately remove the alleged defamatory content and permanently delete it from its platform. He is also asking for $5 million in general damages and any other relief the court deems fit.
The case highlights growing concerns over digital privacy, misinformation, and the accountability of global tech giants in handling user-generated content.
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