Nollywood actress and politician Tonto Dikeh is currently facing a legal battle after a viral video showing her performing what appeared to be a deliverance session on a schoolgirl sparked controversy online.
The issue began after a video posted on the actress’s social media page on March 6, 2026 circulated widely. In the footage, Dikeh was seen praying for a female student and performing what she described as a spiritual deliverance session. According to reports, the girl was laid on the ground during the prayer while the actress held her down during the session.
Following the viral spread of the video, human rights lawyer Ikechukwu Obasi filed a lawsuit against the actress at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja. The lawyer is seeking ₦200 million in damages, claiming that the act violated the fundamental rights of the minor involved.
Court documents state that the case was filed on behalf of the student, a Junior Secondary School 1 pupil at a school in Durumi, Abuja, who is originally from Rivers State. According to the suit, the ritual exposed the child to humiliation and possible psychological harm after the footage was shared publicly online.
The lawyer also argued that sharing the video and images of the child on social media allegedly violated the girl’s rights to dignity and privacy as protected by Nigeria’s constitution and the Child Rights Act.
In addition to the ₦200 million compensation, the suit is asking the court to order the removal of the video from all social media platforms and compel the actress to issue a public apology. The legal filing also seeks an injunction to prevent similar actions involving minors in the future.
The controversy has some people defending the actress and describing the act as a religious intervention, while others have criticised it as inappropriate conduct involving a minor.
The court has received the case but has not announced a hearing date. The actress has also not released an official public response regarding the lawsuit at the time of reporting.
