A human rights lawyer, Ikechukwu Obasi, has filed a lawsuit against Nollywood actress and politician Tonto Dikeh at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja over an alleged exorcism performed on a schoolgirl.

The suit, filed under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, seeks the court’s intervention over what the lawyer described as a violation of the child’s constitutional rights. The legal action was brought on behalf of the minor, who is said to be a Junior Secondary School 1 student at a school in the Durumi area of Abuja.

In the court filing, Obasi argued that the actions of the actress during the incident amounted to degrading and inhuman treatment of the child. He is asking the court to declare that the alleged conduct violated the girl’s rights to dignity and privacy as guaranteed by the Constitution and relevant child protection laws.

The lawyer is also seeking financial compensation on behalf of the student. According to the suit, the court is being asked to award damages totalling ₦200 million for the alleged infringement of the child’s rights.

In addition, the plaintiff is requesting an order compelling the actress to remove the video of the incident from all social media platforms and issue a public apology to the student involved.

The case is yet to be heard, and the court has not fixed a date for proceedings.

The legal dispute follows a wave of public reactions after a video circulated online showing the actress conducting what appeared to be a deliverance session involving the student. The clip, which spread widely on social media, showed the girl lying on the ground while the actress prayed intensely over her during what was described as an evangelism outreach programme at a school in Abuja.

According to the actress, the student had approached her requesting prayers after claiming she had been experiencing disturbing spiritual encounters. Dikeh said she and members of her team prayed for the girl in response to the request.

However, the video triggered mixed reactions, with critics raising concerns about the involvement of a minor in such a public religious ritual. The incident eventually prompted the legal action now before the court.