The Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory has issued an interlocutory injunction restraining a United Kingdom-based activist, Dr Sandra Duru, also known as Prof Mgbeke, and Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, from further publishing or circulating materials alleged to be defamatory against the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The ruling was delivered by Justice I. Mohammed in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/229/2025, following a motion filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan seeking urgent judicial intervention over what she described as persistent online attacks on her reputation.
In a Certified True Copy of the ruling obtained on Saturday, the court held that the application raised “a serious question to be tried” and that immediate action was necessary to prevent irreparable damage to the claimant’s reputation while the substantive suit is pending.
Justice Mohammed consequently ordered that Duru, either personally or through her agents, associates or proxies, must desist from further publishing, sharing, posting or promoting any content on Facebook or other social media platforms that is defamatory, scandalous, inciting or injurious to the claimant.
In a related order, the court directed Meta Platforms Inc. to immediately remove or disable access to all offending posts, publications or broadcasts allegedly made by Duru against Akpoti-Uduaghan, whether under her real name or the pseudonym “Prof Mgbeke,” pending the determination of the case.
The court further instructed the social media company to preserve all electronic records linked to the disputed content, including metadata and digital footprints, to assist in the fair resolution of the suit.
Justice Mohammed explained that injunctions are preservatory in nature and are intended to prevent irreparable harm, maintain the status quo, and ensure that the subject matter of a dispute is not altered before final judgment. He stressed that the orders were protective rather than punitive.
According to the judge, Akpoti-Uduaghan established a prima facie case of ongoing defamation, noting that damage to reputation cannot always be adequately compensated with monetary damages alone. He added that the balance of convenience strongly favoured the claimant, given the alleged continuous publications and the risk of further reputational harm.
The court also took note of the claimant’s allegation that Duru engaged in a sustained and malicious campaign of cyberbullying, harassment and defamation, allegedly making more than 30 posts between May and October 2025. These posts were said to have gone viral, exposing the claimant to public hostility, security threats and emotional distress.
On Meta’s role, Justice Mohammed observed that the claimant had formally notified the platform by identifying specific links and content. He noted the allegation that Meta’s failure to promptly act allowed the materials to remain accessible and facilitated continued attacks, an issue the court said warrants full trial.
The ruling is being viewed as a significant intervention in Nigeria’s evolving digital rights and media accountability landscape, reinforcing the responsibility of both individuals and social media platforms to curb online abuse while protecting constitutional rights to dignity, reputation and privacy.
The development comes about eight months after Duru released what she described as evidence from exclusive phone conversations, which she claimed showed that the then-suspended senator lied against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, over allegations of sexual harassment.
During a Facebook Live broadcast, Duru alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to induce her with N200 million to falsely accuse the former Akwa Ibom State governor of organ harvesting. She maintained that call logs and recorded conversations in her possession were sufficient to disprove the sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.
In the over one-hour broadcast, the activist further accused the suspended senator of attempting to destroy reputations, claiming she lacked evidence to support her allegations against the Senate President.
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