Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh is facing a ₦200 million lawsuit filed by human rights lawyer Ikechukwu Obasi over a viral video showing her performing a deliverance on a schoolgirl in Abuja.
The case was instituted at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.
According to the lawyer, the actress’ actions violated the fundamental rights of the child involved in the incident.
The suit was filed on behalf of the minor, a Junior Secondary School One student at Junior Secondary School Durumi II in Abuja, who is said to be originally from Rivers State.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, Obasi stated that he came across photos and a video posted on Dikeh’s official Facebook page on March 6, 2026. The footage allegedly showed the actress conducting what he described as a forceful deliverance ritual on the student during a visit to the school.
The affidavit further claimed that the child was placed on bare ground and restrained against a rough surface while the ritual was carried out.
Obasi argued that the situation amounted to harassment and exposed the student to public embarrassment.
He told the court that the incident undermined the girl’s dignity and could subject her to shame and emotional distress, especially after the video circulated widely on social media.
The lawyer also raised concerns over the decision to share images and footage of the child online, noting that doing so without safeguarding her identity violated her right to privacy under the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the Child Rights Act.
According to him, portraying the student as being possessed by evil spirits and attempting to cast them out could lead to ridicule, discrimination, and stigma among her peers and the wider public.
He further argued that such actions go beyond normal religious practices and may expose minors to social stigma, particularly in communities where beliefs about witchcraft and spiritual attacks are prevalent.
Through the suit, Obasi is asking the court to declare that the alleged deliverance ritual violated the child’s right to dignity under Section 34 of the Constitution, as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Child Rights Act.
He is also seeking a court declaration that performing religious rituals on children in such a manner infringes on their fundamental rights.
Additionally, the lawyer asked the court to order the actress to delete all videos and photos related to the incident from her social media platforms.
The suit also seeks an order compelling Dikeh to issue a public apology to the child and to Nigerian children in three national newspapers.
Furthermore, Obasi requested that the court restrain the actress from conducting similar deliverance rituals involving minors in the future.
The lawyer is also asking the court to award ₦200 million in damages for what he described as violations of the child’s rights to dignity and privacy, noting that the student has already faced stigmatization following the widespread circulation of the video online.