Crime
Falana Sues Mack Zuckerberg’s Meta, Seeks $5m Over Alleged Privacy Invasion
Falana Sues Mack Zuckerberg’s Meta, Seeks $5m Over Alleged Privacy Invasion
Falana sues Mack Zuckerberg’s Meta, seeks $5m over alleged privacy invasion. Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, has instituted a $5,000,000 (Five Million US Dollars) lawsuit before a Lagos High Court against Meta Platforms Inc., the U.S.-based tech giant owned by Mark Zuckerberg, over alleged invasion of his privacy
In the originating motion brought pursuant to Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and section 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, Order 2 Rule 1 Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, 2009, by his lawyer, Olumide Babalola, the human rights Lawyer accused the organization of publishing motion images and voice captioned, “AfriCare Health Center,” in their website to the effect that Falana has suffered a disease known as ‘Prostatitis’, which the lawyer claimed 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 organization’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.”
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, has instituted a $5,000,000 (Five Million US Dollars) lawsuit before a Lagos High Court against Meta Platforms Inc., the U.S.-based tech giant owned by Mark Zuckerberg, over alleged invasion of his privacy
In the originating motion brought pursuant to Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and section 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, Order 2 Rule 1 Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, 2009, by his lawyer, Olumide Babalola, the human rights Lawyer accused the organization of publishing motion images and voice captioned, “AfriCare Health Center,” in their website to the effect that Falana has suffered a disease known as ‘Prostatitis’, which the lawyer claimed constitutes an invasion of his privacy as guaranteed by section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
To this end, the reputable lawyer was praying the court for a declaration that the “Respondents continued publication of the Applicants 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.”
Besides, 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.”
For the damages the publication has caused him, Falana, was asking for a general damages in the sum of $5, 000, 000 (Five Million US Dollars) and a consequential order that the court may deem fit to grant in the circumstance.
Falana who claimed that the published false video about his health status, which is his private life has rubished his image and the name he built over the years.
He argued that the publication by the Respondent which is false, offensive and disturbing paints him in a false light, that has caused him mental and emotional disturbances.
The grounds upon which the originating processes was instituted was that the Applicant as a reputable person is guaranteed the enjoyment of fundamental right to privacy under Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and that the Respondents published the Applicants name and images and ascribed a false illness to him and thereby violated his right to privacy guaranteed by the Constitution and Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and he has suffered emotional and psychological distress as a result of the false story.
In the affidavit in support of the motion, Falana claimed that he is known for his fearless legal battles, often taking on cases against government policies and actions that infringe upon the rights of citizens and that his law practice covers a broad range of areas, including constitutional law, civil rights, public interest litigation, and international human rights law.
He said further that he is recognized for his work in defending freedom of expression, advocating for the rights of marginalized groups, and challenging governmental overreach.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, has instituted a $5,000,000 (Five Million US Dollars) lawsuit before a Lagos High Court against Meta Platforms Inc., the U.S.-based tech giant owned by Mark Zuckerberg, over alleged invasion of his privacy
In the originating motion brought pursuant to Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and section 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, Order 2 Rule 1 Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, 2009, by his lawyer, Olumide Babalola, the human rights Lawyer accused the organization of publishing motion images and voice captioned, “AfriCare Health Center,” in their website to the effect that Falana has suffered a disease known as ‘Prostatitis’, which the lawyer claimed 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 organization’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.”
I get life-threatening calls, messages over my generators that don’t use fuel – Oyekunle Ayansola…
To this end, the reputable lawyer was praying the court for a declaration that the “Respondents continued publication of the Applicants 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.”
Besides, 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.”
For the damages the publication has caused him, Falana, was asking for a general damages in the sum of $5, 000, 000 (Five Million US Dollars) and a consequential order that the court may deem fit to grant in the circumstance.
Falana who claimed that the published false video about his health status, which is his private life has rubished his image and the name he built over the years.
He argued that the publication by the Respondent which is false, offensive and disturbing paints him in a false light, that has caused him mental and emotional disturbances.
The grounds upon which the originating processes was instituted was that the Applicant as a reputable person is guaranteed the enjoyment of fundamental right to privacy under Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and that the Respondents published the Applicants name and images and ascribed a false illness to him and thereby violated his right to privacy guaranteed by the Constitution and Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and he has suffered emotional and psychological distress as a result of the false story.
In the affidavit in support of the motion, Falana claimed that he is known for his fearless legal battles, often taking on cases against government policies and actions that infringe upon the rights of citizens and that his law practice covers a broad range of areas, including constitutional law, civil rights, public interest litigation, and international human rights law.
He said further that he is recognized for his work in defending freedom of expression, advocating for the rights of marginalized groups, and challenging governmental overreach.
He alleged that the Respondent is a media company operating a global social media platform known as www.facebook.com. and that on the 16th day of January 2025, he discovered a video of his person was posted on the Respondent’s platform under the page named “AfriCare Health Centre on Respondent’s platform – www.facebook.com. which he tendered as an Exhibit in the suit.
He noted: “In video that carries my name, picture and purported video, I am reported to have said that: “My name is Femi Falana, and I have been battling prostatitis for over 16 years.
At the age of 50, I was diagnosed with this condition. Every day I faced pain, discomfort and constant fatigue. I had trouble urinating lower back pain and other symptoms that made it difficult to live a full life. Despite consulting the best urologist in the country, no one could offer me effective treatment, I was prescribed numerous medications, physical therapy even surgery but the problem was that these methods only temporarily relived the symptoms.”
He bemoaned the wrongful publication that he has been greatly prejudiced by the video of the Respondent’s on the grounds that his health life is part of his private life and he has never suffered any disease known as ‘Prostatitis’ in his life.
He averred that, “I have never had any dealing with the Respondent or its pages on issues with my health life.
The video and its contents are false, inaccurate, misleading and unfair to me. The video paints me in a false light and as such an invasion of my privacy.”
He claimed that the Respondent operates global platforms and anything published on these platforms are accessed and viewed by millions of people around the world. Hence, the stories have been viewed by millions of people since January 2023 when they were published on the Respondents platforms.
Mack Zuckerberg
He said, “For the purpose of this suit, I do not find these stories libelous but since they are false and fabricated against me, I find them offensive, reckless, insensitive, disturbing and unjustifiable intrusion into my privacy by painting me in a false light.
“By the video, the Respondent’s page has given me a publicity that paints me in false light as the insinuations in the video are false and they infringe my right to privacy right to be let alone.
“At the time of deposing to this affidavit, the video has been published to the entire world on the Internet, and it has remained there for several weeks.
“For their failure to verify the page and video before publishing, I believe the Respondent’s publicity of my name and image in a false light was done carelessly and recklessly to draw traffic to the Respondent’s platform to boost its advertisement revenues
I believe that the Respondents use of my name and image in the video is unfair and insensitive to my feelings since they never verified the claims as expected.
“I find the Respondents’ publicity of my photograph and name in a false light highly offensive and emotionally disturbing. This continues to cause me anxiety, sadness and exposure to ridicule.”
He therefore prayed the court for a rescue and save his image from being ruined.
Crime
EFCC Commences Investigations of Suspect, $73,000, £15,957 & 827,800 SAR Intercepted at Kano Airport
EFCC Commences Investigations of Suspect, $73,000, £15,957 & 827,800 SAR Intercepted at Kano Airport
The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced investigation of a suspect, Haruna Yusuf and multiple undeclared foreign currencies, , $73,000( Seventy Three United States Dollar) £15,957 ( Fifteen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty Seven Pound Sterling) & 827,800 Saudi Riyal intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA.
Eereporter.com
The investigation commenced after the handover of the suspect and the undeclared currencies by the Acting Customs Area Comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Command, Deputy Comptroller U. U. Adamu at the Customs Area Command in Kano.
The intercepted currencies, which exceeded the legally permitted threshold, were discovered during routine primary and secondary screenings of arriving passengers between August 8 and August 12, 2026.
The Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC, Kano Directorate, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Friday S. Ebelo, received the suspect and the recovered funds on behalf of the Commission.
According to Adamu, the Customs made two separate interceptions.
On August 8, 2026, “at approximately 14:20 hours, officers conducting passenger screening at the baggage seat of MAKIA intercepted an unaccompanied Saudi Air luggage containing 827,800 Saudi Riyals and $53,300 The currencies were found concealed inside a footwear.” Adamu stated.
Similarly, on August 12, 2026 “at approximately 13:50 hours, officers of the Nigerian Custom Service also flagged a luggage belonging to one Mr. Haruna Yusuf, who arrived at MAKIA on board Ethiopian Airlines flight ET941. During secondary screening using Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology, $20,000 USD and £15,957 were found concealed inside sportswear shoes”, he said.
Adamu thereafter formally handed over the suspect, Mr. Haruna Yusuf, alongside all recovered exhibits to Ebelo for further investigation and prosecution. He noted that the handover was in accordance with Section 4(f) of the NCS Act 2023, which empowers the Service to collaborate with other border regulatory agencies.
Adamu further explained that, “these interceptions demonstrate the readiness and vigilance of our officers in detecting cross-border movement of undeclared foreign currencies above the allowed threshold. The Command will continue to deploy technology, professional expertise, and intelligence-driven measures, including inter-agency collaboration to strengthen border controls and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s financial systems.”
Receiving the suspect and exhibits on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, Ebelo expressed profound gratitude to the Customs Service for its professionalism and cooperation with EFCC officers recently deployed to the airport.
“We must sustain this vigilance at all our entry points to counter the illegal movement of currency. The failure to declare large sums of currency and its equivalent is a violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” he said.
He urged the public to comply with the law, emphasizing that declaring currency attracts no penalty, only the source of undeclared funds may raise legal concerns.
“Once more, we call on the general public: as much as we are Nigerians and we encourage trade in and out of the country, people must adhere to the laws of the land. You must declare the currency you are carrying. If you declare it, nobody will seize your currency,” he said.
EFCC
Ebelo reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to thorough investigations and prosecution, stating that the Commission would continue to follow the law diligently
Both Ebelo and Adamu applauded the longstanding synergy between the EFCC and NCS which has been critical to combating financial crimes and illegal cash movement across Nigeria’s borders.
Eereporter.com
Anambra Police Raid Secessionist Hideout, Arrest 65-year-old Suspect, Six Others
The Anambra State Police Command has raided some criminal hideouts across the state, recovering several sophisticated arms and ammunition and arresting some suspects, including a 65-year-old secessionist member and six other suspects.
Eereporter.com
The command’s spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Friday, said the clearance operation was carried out by the operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit on Thursday in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
Ikenga explained that the joint security team, acting on credible information, raided identified black spots and criminal hideouts in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area and Umudioka, Dinukofia LGA of the state.
According to him, the operation resulted in the arrest of a 65-year-old male, Ifeanyi Ogbuagbo, in Umudioka as well as six other suspects identified as Chisom Okafor, female, 25 years; Onyedika Moses, male, 36 years; Iruka Nwaonu, male, 30 years; Joseph Nwankwo, male, 36 years; Chukwujekwu Nwoso, male, 32 years; and Akanimo Orok, male, 40 years.
The statement read, “The Anambra State Police Command has continued its sustained security operations and raid of criminal hideouts across the State, in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu and the Command’s intensified operational strategy against violent crimes, cultism and illicit drug activities.
“Acting on credible intelligence in the evening of August 13, 2026, Operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested a 65-year-old male, Ifeanyi Ogbuagbo, in Umudioka.
“A careful search of his residence led to the recovery of an Army uniform and expended shells of ammunition concealed in a black polythene bag.
“The suspect has been taken into custody for investigation, while efforts are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the recovered items and his alleged activities.”
According to him, in the evening of the same date, operatives acting on credible intelligence and in furtherance of the directive to raid identified black spots and criminal hideouts stormed a suspected criminal hideout in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area.
“The operation resulted in the arrest of six suspects identified as: Chisom Okafor, female, 25 years; Onyedika Moses, male, 36 years; Iruka Nwaonu, male, 30 years; Joseph Nwankwo, male, 36 years; Chukwujekwu Nwoso, male, 32 years; and Akanimo Orok, male, 40 years.
“During the operation, a sizeable quantity of dried weeds suspected to be Cannabis Sativa and other substances suspected to be illicit drugs were recovered,” he added.
Police
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, reiterated that the Command will continue to deploy intelligence-led operations, strategic patrols and coordinated raids to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt illicit drug activities and deny criminals safe havens across Anambra State.
The CP further directs that the ongoing raid operation of criminal hideouts, drug-selling spots and other identified areas of criminal activities be intensified and sustained.
Eereporter.com
ICPC Uncovers Official who Put 14 Family Members “Ghost Workers” on Government Payroll
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered cases of ghost workers allegedly inserted into government payrolls, including an official who enrolled 14 members of his family and another who allegedly collected 13 salaries.
Eereporter.com
The ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Economic Confidential Lecture and National Spokespersons Award, organised by Image Merchants Promotions Limited.
Aliyu said the commission’s investigation into ghost workers had exposed how individuals manipulated government payroll systems to receive multiple salaries.
He said, “We discovered that one person enrolled 14 members of his family. He lived in a religious hotel, a hotel at the public office, receiving salaries.”
The ICPC chairman added that another individual allegedly enrolled his wife, daughter, son and other family members and received 13 salaries.
“Another person enrolled his wife, his daughter, his son, and others and was receiving 13 salaries. ” he said.
Aliyu said the commission had also identified about 900 suspected ghost workers and published their names, challenging them to prove that they were genuine employees.
“We now secured income of about 900 ghost workers, which we published their names in papers,” he said.
He explained that the commission subsequently spent about a year investigating the suspected ghost workers, uncovering the methods used to insert fictitious names into government payrolls.
“We spent one year, one single year, on ghost workers,” Aliyu said.
According to him, in some cases, the names of the alleged ghost workers appeared on official payrolls with email addresses, while the bank account details were linked to other individuals.
“When they insert their names, you will see their name in the payroll. You will see their email. But when you check the account number, you will see the name of the person. So, that is how these things have been done,” he explained.
“Because, you know, once there is a ghost worker, there is ghost pension, there is ghost mortgage, there is ghost housing fund, there is ghost health insurance,” he said.
He said the commission’s intervention was aimed at protecting public resources and strengthening the economy, noting that fraudulent payroll practices imposed additional costs on the country.
The ICPC chairman also disclosed that the commission recovered more than N24bn in ghost pension funds in 2024.
“In 2024, we recovered over N24 billion ghost workers pension,” Aliyu said.
He said the commission had adopted cross-agency collaboration and other preventive measures to tackle corruption and recover government resources.
Aliyu stressed that the commission was increasingly focusing on preventing corruption and ensuring that government projects were properly executed rather than relying solely on criminal prosecution.
He said, “It is better for us to do that than to engage in filing criminal charges. How many charges can we file?.”
The ICPC chairman said the commission had recovered or secured government resources through interventions in projects and other areas, stressing that the ultimate objective was to ensure that Nigerians benefited from public expenditure.
He also called for greater use of data and technology in combating corruption, saying effective communication and access to reliable information were essential to building public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.
ICPC
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of IMPR, Yusha’u Shuaib, said the lecture was organised to promote stronger governance through transparency, accountability and professional communication.
“We are honoured to host yet another gathering of leaders, professionals, scholars, and communication experts committed to strengthening governance, promoting transparency, and advancing excellence in public communication,” Shuaib said.
Eereporter.com
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