Popular Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has been dragged before the High Court in Abuja over her alleged involvement in conducting a spiritual deliverance session on a minor within a school premises.
Human rights lawyer Ikechukwu Obasi filed the N200 million suit on behalf of a Junior Secondary School 1 student from Rivers State, Nigeria, claiming the teenager was subjected to a harmful religious ritual during the incident.
According to court filings, the session was recorded and later circulated on social media without the consent of the child or her guardians; an action the lawyer argues constitutes a serious violation of the girl’s fundamental rights.
Obasi maintained that the public dissemination of the footage infringed on the minor’s constitutional right to privacy as guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as provisions of the Child Rights Act 2003.
He is asking the court to award N200 million in damages, compel a public apology from the actress, and order the removal of the video from all digital platforms.
The suit further seeks a judicial declaration that the act violated the child’s right to dignity and personal privacy, especially given her status as a minor.
Legal experts note that Nigerian courts take matters involving children’s rights seriously, particularly when issues of consent, public exposure, and religious activities within educational settings are involved.
The controversy stems from a recent visit by Dikeh to a secondary school in Durumi II, Abuja, where she reportedly engaged the student in what she described as a spiritual intervention.
Footage posted online showed the actress holding the girl while performing prayers and deliverance, drawing mixed reactions from the public and sparking debate over the appropriateness of such actions in a school environment.
READ ALSO: VeryDarkMan slams Tonto Dikeh over viral school ‘deliverance’ video
The lawsuit has intensified discussions around celebrity conduct, child protection laws, and the boundaries between religious expression and students’ rights within educational institutions.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the actress nor her representatives had issued an official response to the legal action.
The case is expected to test the interpretation of constitutional protections on privacy and dignity, particularly in relation to minors and digital publication of sensitive content.