The Lagos State High Court in Ikorodu has ordered X Corp, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to disclose the identity of an anonymous user accused of manipulating a birthday post of a Nigerian law graduate. The ruling, delivered by Justice Adeniyi Pokanu on June 5, 2026, also awarded ₦20 million in general damages against the anonymous user and a conditional ₦50 million against X Corp if it fails to comply with the disclosure order.
Background of the Case
The suit was filed by Esther Agboola, a Nigerian law graduate known on X as @agirlnamed_esth. She argued that an anonymous user manipulated one of her birthday posts in a way that misled the public and caused her emotional and reputational harm. According to court documents obtained by PUNCH Metro, Agboola had posted photos on January 9, 2026, with the caption, "Chapter 25. Happy Birthday to me!" to celebrate turning 25.
She told the court that the anonymous account retrieved her January 2025 birthday post celebrating her 24th birthday, altered its timestamp, and republished it, creating the false impression that it had been made at a different time. At the time of this writing, the alleged 2025 post and the accompanying photographs central to Agboola's claim could not be independently retrieved.
Court Ruling and Damages
Justice Pokanu ruled that the unauthorised manipulation and republication of the post breached Agboola's constitutional right to privacy guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution. The court awarded ₦20 million in general damages against the anonymous X user for the mental anguish, emotional distress, harassment, humiliation, and reputational injury suffered by the applicant.
It also awarded ₦50 million in conditional damages against X Corp if the company fails to comply with the order directing it to disclose the account holder’s identity. The combined financial implication of the judgement is ₦70 million, although the ₦50 million award will only become payable if X refuses or fails to obey the court's order.
Implications for Digital Privacy
The ruling is a major win for digital privacy in Nigeria. It comes as AI is increasingly used to mess with people's personal data and private lives. A similar incident recently involved content creator Caramel Plug and actress Anita Joseph. Caramel Plug called out the actress for allegedly using AI to put her own face over the creator's in a video.
The latest ruling, however, comes just months after Agboola recorded another significant legal victory against Fidelity Bank Plc in a separate privacy case. In February 2026, the Lagos High Court held that the bank violated her constitutional right to privacy and the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 after processing her account information to recover a loan she insisted she never took.
Previous Victory Against Fidelity Bank
The court found that Fidelity Bank failed to produce a valid loan agreement or a signed Global Standing Instruction (GSI) mandate authorising the debit. It ordered the bank to refund the ₦11,922.41 deducted from her account, awarded her ₦2 million in general damages and ₦300,000 in costs, while granting a perpetual injunction restraining further processing of her account in connection with the disputed loan.
These back-to-back legal wins underscore the growing judicial scrutiny of digital rights and data protection in Nigeria, setting precedents that could influence future cases involving social media platforms and financial institutions.
