Renowned Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, over alleged invasion of privacy.
The lawsuit, filed at the Lagos High Court, accuses Meta of violating Falana’s rights by publishing misleading information about his health. According to court documents submitted by his legal representative, Olumide Babalola, Falana claims that a Facebook page named AfriCare Health Center falsely alleged that he had been suffering from Prostatitis.
Falana argues that this publication amounts to a breach of his privacy, as protected under Section 37 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. He further contends that the video, which included motion images and voice captions seemingly attributed to him, was “false, misleading, and unfair.” Citing Section 24(1)(a) and (e) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, he demanded the immediate removal of the content from Facebook.
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In his legal claims, Falana seeks a court declaration that Meta’s publication infringed upon his fundamental right to privacy. He also requests an order compelling the removal of the video and a general damages award of $5 million for the emotional and reputational harm caused.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, Falana described the video as a fabrication falsely depicting him as having struggled with *Prostatitis* for 16 years, suffering from pain, discomfort, and urinary problems. He categorically denied ever having the condition or authorizing such content.
“The video and its contents are entirely false, misleading, and an unjustifiable intrusion into my privacy,” Falana stated in his affidavit. He also emphasized that the global reach of Meta’s platform has resulted in millions of people worldwide viewing the false claim since its publication in January 2025.
Falana accused Meta of recklessly using his name and image to drive engagement on its platform and increase advertising revenue. He asserted that the publication subjected him to unwarranted scrutiny, ridicule, and emotional distress.
“For the purpose of this suit, I do not consider these stories libelous, but since they are false and fabricated, I find them offensive, reckless, insensitive, and an unjustifiable intrusion into my privacy,” he stated.
He further argued that Meta failed to verify the accuracy of the claims before allowing their publication. “The false publicity of my name and image is highly offensive and emotionally disturbing, causing me anxiety, sadness, and exposure to ridicule,” he added.
Falana urged the court to intervene and protect his reputation from further damage.
