Falana Sues Meta For Alleged Invasion of Privacy

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, has filed a $5,000,000 (Five Million US Dollars) lawsuit before a Lagos High Court against the United States-based organisation, Meta Platforms Inc., over an alleged invasion of his privacy.

In the originating motion brought pursuant to Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and sections 24(1)(A) and (E) & 34(1)(D) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, Order 2 Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, 2009, Falana, represented by his lawyer, Olumide Babalola, accused the organisation of publishing motion images and a voice captioned “AfriCare Health Centre” on their website. 

According to Falana, this publication falsely suggested that he suffered from a disease known as ‘Prostatitis,’ which he claims constitutes an invasion of his privacy as guaranteed by Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

Falana claimed the publication and the video as released through the organisation’s platform –www.facebook.com, is “false, inaccurate, misleading and unfair to the Applicant and thereby violates the provision of section 24(1)(a) and (e) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.”

To this end, the reputable lawyer is praying the court for a declaration that the “Respondent’s continued publication of the Applicant’s name, still and motion images and purported voice on a page and video captioned “AfriCare Health Centre on their platform – www.facebook.com to the effect that the Applicant suffered from a disease known as ‘Prostatitis’ constitutes an invasion of the Applicants privacy guaranteed by section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”

Also, he is praying the court for an order mandating the “Respondents to forthwith remove, erase and delete the video captioned ‘AfriCare Health Centre’ on their platform – www.facebook.com.”