A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikorodu has ordered social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to unmask an anonymous user accused of manipulating and republishing a birthday post belonging to a Nigerian law graduate, Esther Agboola.
The court also awarded N20m in damages against the unidentified X user and ordered X Corp to pay a further N50m conditionally if it fails to disclose the identity of the account holder.
In a judgment delivered on June 5, 2026, and sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, Justice Adeniyi Pokanu held that the unauthorised manipulation and republication of Agboola’s post violated her constitutional right to privacy.
The judge said the right to privacy was guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.
The legal battle followed a birthday post made by Agboola on her X account, @agirlnamed_esth, on January 9, 2026.
The law graduate had shared photographs to mark her 25th birthday with the caption, “Chapter 25. Happy Birthday to me!”
However, trouble allegedly started after an anonymous user operating the X handle @_AbiolaPharays retrieved an earlier birthday post made by Agboola in January 2025, when she celebrated her 24th birthday.
Agboola told the court that the user allegedly altered the timestamp of the old post, creating a false impression about when it was originally published.
She claimed that the manipulation was capable of misleading members of the public and exposing her to embarrassment, harassment and reputational damage.
After considering the case, Justice Pokanu held that X Corp, as the owner and operator of the platform, had access to information and activity logs capable of identifying the person behind the anonymous account.
The judge consequently ordered X to file an affidavit disclosing the identity of the account holder.
The court also awarded Agboola N20m in general damages against the unidentified user for the mental anguish, emotional distress, harassment, reputational injury and humiliation she suffered as a result of the alleged unlawful acts.
X Corp was, however, given a separate financial warning.
The court ordered that the company would be liable to pay N50m in conditional damages if it failed, neglected or refused to comply with the order to disclose the identity of the anonymous user.
The judgment effectively puts X under pressure to lift the veil of anonymity surrounding the account, while the unidentified user faces a N20m damages award over the alleged online violation.
The case has therefore turned a seemingly ordinary birthday post into a N70m legal battle, with the court demanding answers from both the anonymous user and the social media platform.
Don’t Miss Out! Join our WhatsApp Channel for instant news updates. Click here to join
ALSO READ:
P-SQUARE WAR GETS MESSIER! Peter Reveals Jude’s Court Bid To Stop His Performances
Detained ‘DG’ Rejects Closed-Door Interrogation, Demands Live Hearing
