Court Bans Public Viewing and Streaming of ‘Gangs of Lagos’

A Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has banned the public viewing and streaming of the controversial film *Gangs of Lagos*. The ruling came in a consent judgment delivered by Justice Idowu Alakija in a suit filed by the Isale Eko Descendants Union and two others against Amazon Web Services and eleven additional defendants.

Justice Alakija ruled in favour of the applicants, who argued that the film misrepresented and disparaged the cultural heritage of the Eyo Masquerade—a symbol of Lagos tradition—and the peace-loving nature of the Isale Eko people. According to the court, the film’s depiction undermined the long-standing traditions of the Isale Eko community.

As part of the settlement, the court ordered the defendants to issue a formal, unreserved apology to the Isale Eko Descendants Union. The apology must acknowledge that *Gangs of Lagos* wrongly portrayed the cultural values and heritage of the Eyo Masquerade and the Isale Eko people.

The defendants, listed as the 3rd to 11th respondents, are also required to issue a letter recognising the applicants’ position and affirming that the film’s content was culturally inaccurate and offensive to the community.