The sudden suspension of the X (formerly Twitter) account of Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, SAN, has sparked widespread public concern and online discourse, with many Nigerians questioning the rationale behind silencing one of the country’s most vocal legal minds.
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Mr. Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria widely respected for his courageous commentary on governance, justice, and social accountability, confirmed that his account was taken down without any prior warning or explanation from X.
In what would become his last post on February 7, 2025, the senior lawyer wrote:
“Most Nigerians are intolerant of truth. I wrote about good governance and what I think are the right things to be done for a good society. We cannot all follow the paths of darkness. X can block me, but it can’t block what is right. Nigerians know the truth. Even those who lead us know the truth. Nobody can deny that Nigerian society is not being led on the path of truth and justice. That is why we are where we are — because of who we are.”
Since the account’s suspension, there has been mounting speculation among Nigerian users on X, many of whom believe that the action was triggered by Okutepa’s unrelenting criticism of poor leadership and institutional failure. Several users have described the development as a blatant attempt to censor dissenting voices and stifle public debate.
“Nigerians are saying the quiet parts out loud, and those in power don’t like it. Now they’re coming for people like Okutepa SAN who speak truth to power,” one user posted.
Another wrote: “Suspending J.S. Okutepa SAN’s account won’t stop the truth from spreading. If anything, it confirms everything he’s been saying about the intolerance for dissent in Nigeria.”
While others are calling on X to immediately reinstate his account, they note that many users who openly post harmful or divisive content — often supporting impunity or undermining justice — remain untouched. “It’s sad that someone who speaks up for the masses is silenced, yet those promoting impunity or mocking justice get to operate freely,” a commenter wrote.
In response to a media enquiry by TheNigeriaLawyer, Mr. Okutepa revealed that he was shocked to discover the suspension when he woke up and was not given any reason for the action:
“I don’t know oh. I just woke up to see my account suspended. I have written appeals and appealed to no avail. I was not told the reason. I am not sure of my offence. It is sad indeed that X can just suspend my account without allowing me to defend myself.”
Reacting swiftly to the development, TheNigeriaLawyer sent a formal inquiry to the X Support Team requesting clarification on the specific rules allegedly violated, the status of Okutepa’s appeal, and whether the suspension was linked to his political or social commentary.
As of the time of filing this report, X has not responded to the request.
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