The Lagos State Government says it will institute legal proceedings against an X user, identified as Enugu Loudmouth (@Jamessucre2), over an allegedly misleading flood video the user claimed was recorded in Lagos.
The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the decision in separate posts on X on Tuesday, saying the user would still face legal action despite deleting the post.
“Taking down the post after misleading the public does not absolve you of the responsibility. Appropriate legal action will still be pursued, and this matter will be taken to its logical conclusion in accordance with the law,” Mr Wahab wrote.
The commissioner explained that the government respects citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of expression but stressed that such rights must be exercised responsibly and within the bounds of the law.
According to him, the deliberate spread of false information undermines the state’s efforts to address public concerns and erodes confidence in genuine complaints raised by residents.
“While we acknowledge and respect everyone’s right to freedom of expression, it is important to recognise that every right comes with corresponding responsibilities and legal limits,” he said.
“The deliberate dissemination of false information and misleading narratives not only undermines the efforts of the Lagos State Government but also diminishes the credibility of genuine complaints raised by well-meaning residents.”
Mr Wahab maintained that the viral flood footage shared by the X user did not originate from Lagos but was recorded in Bangladesh.
“The flood video you shared and attributed to Lagos State is actually from Bangladesh. We kindly encourage you to verify the authenticity and origin of such content before sharing it, as the dissemination of inaccurate information can mislead the public and undermine genuine discussions about issues affecting Lagos,” he wrote.
The commissioner did not disclose the specific legal action the state intends to pursue or indicate when proceedings would begin.
The latest development comes barely a week after the Lagos State Government accused some bloggers and social media influencers of circulating misleading images and videos of flooding from other Nigerian states and countries and falsely presenting them as incidents in Lagos.
At the time, Mr Wahab noted that the government had observed a growing pattern of online misinformation aimed at promoting what he described as a “destructive narrative” about flooding in the state.
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He also alleged that some social media users were deliberately sharing false content to generate clicks and engagement, despite the potential to mislead the public and undermine genuine environmental concerns.
The latest threat of legal action also comes days after heavy rainfall triggered flooding in parts of Lagos, disrupting movement and contributing to electricity outages in some communities. The flooding prompted an outpouring of images and videos on social media, some of which the state government insisted were falsely attributed to Lagos.
The state government has repeatedly urged residents, bloggers and other social media users to verify the authenticity of information before publishing or sharing it, maintaining that accurate information is critical to effective emergency response and informed public discourse.
