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Reading: Lawyer Files N10b Defamation Suit Against SSS, X (fka Twitter)
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Lawyer Files N10b Defamation Suit Against SSS, X (fka Twitter)

In a recent legal development, Maxwell Opara, a legal practitioner, has taken Twitter Nigeria Limited and the State Security Service (SSS) t...

Chima Joseph Ugo
Chima Joseph Ugo - Editor-in-chief August 16, 2023
Updated August 16, 2023 at 11:35 AM
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Lawyer Files N10b Defamation Suit Against SSS, X (fka Twitter)
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Lawyer Files N10b Defamation Suit Against SSS, X (fka Twitter)
In a recent legal development, Maxwell Opara, a legal practitioner, has taken Twitter Nigeria Limited and the State Security Service (SSS) to court, seeking a whopping N10 billion in damages.

The lawsuit, marked FCT/HC/CV/7186/23 and filed at the FCT High Court, names Twitter Nigeria Limited and the SSS director-general as the first and second defendants, respectively. 

The attorney general of the federation and the justice minister are also listed as the 3rd and 4th defendants in the suit, which was dated August 11 and officially filed on August 14.

Mr Opara's lawsuit revolves around allegations that Twitter, now known as X, allowed the propagation of "defamatory, ethnic profiling, and racist comments" against him by the SSS on its platform for more than 96 hours. 

The legal practitioner contends that this incident caused significant harm to his reputation and dignity, describing the message as "false, defamatory, demeaning, disparaging, and harmful."

In response to these allegations, Mr Opara has presented a series of reliefs he seeks through the lawsuit. 

These reliefs include an order for the court to direct the SSS director-general and the SSS itself to issue a letter of apology on Twitter's platform and in a widely read daily newspaper across Nigeria. 

Additionally, the legal practitioner is seeking an order that the defendants collectively pay him N10 billion in damages for the various defamatory and harmful statements made against him, which were propagated through Twitter's platform.

Furthermore, Mr Opara is requesting an award of 10 per cent post-judgment interest per annum on the entire judgment sum from the date of the court's decision until the amount is fully settled. 

This lawsuit stems from a tweet posted by the SSS on July 18, which Mr Opara claims contained defamatory and harmful content against him. 

The tweet suggested that Mr Opara was an "overzealous uninformed IPOB/ESN lawyer" who was mobilising other lawyers against the DGSS. The SSS also questioned Mr Opara's connection to the IPOB and implied that he was defending a suspended CBN governor.

It is important to note that the matter is still pending assignment to a judge and has not yet reached a judgment as of the time of this report. 

The legal proceedings highlight the growing concern over the role of social media platforms in disseminating potentially defamatory or harmful content and the legal implications that can arise as a result. 

As the case unfolds, it will shed light on the intersection of online platforms, free speech, and the boundaries of defamation law in the digital age. (NAN)

Tags: Nigeria

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