Femi Falana, a prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is trending following the dismissal of his N1 billion defamation lawsuit filed against controversial social media influencer VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The lawsuit, filed alongside his son and musician Folarin Falana (popularly known as Falz), was struck out by the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja on technical grounds.
In a ruling delivered by Justice E. N. Alukwu, the court held that the application was flawed and therefore invalid. The suit stemmed from multiple videos published by VeryDarkMan, in which he alleged that the Falana family engaged in unethical practices and extortion. The statements were labeled defamatory by the Falana legal team, prompting legal action demanding N1 billion in damages.
However, the court did not proceed to trial. Instead, it struck out the matter without ruling on the merit of the allegations, citing procedural shortcomings in the plaintiffs’ filing.
This development sparked mixed reactions online, with some social media users questioning the seriousness of the judicial system, while others saw it as a win for free speech.
Meanwhile, VeryDarkMan, who had earlier filed an objection to the suit, took to social media celebrating the outcome, claiming it as “a victory for truth and freedom.”
Despite the setback, Femi Falana remains one of the most respected voices in Nigerian legal and human rights circles. It is unclear if he and Falz plan to refile the suit with proper procedures.
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