Tonto Dikeh dragged to court over viral ‘exorcism’ of schoolgirl

Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has been dragged before a court by a human rights lawyer over an alleged religious “exorcism” carried out on a female school pupil.

The lawyer, Ikechukwu Obasi, is seeking ₦200 million in damages over what he described as a violation of the child’s fundamental rights, Leadership revealed in a report.

The suit was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.

According to the court documents, the case was instituted on behalf of the minor, a Junior Secondary School 1 student of Junior Secondary School, Durumi II, Abuja, who is said to be originally from Rivers State.

Obasi, in an affidavit attached to the originating motion, alleged that the incident occurred on March 6, 2026, after he came across a viral video and photographs posted on Dikeh’s official Facebook page.

In the footage, the actress was said to have carried out what the lawyer described as a religious deliverance or exorcism on the schoolgirl.

The affidavit stated that during the ritual, the child was allegedly laid on the bare ground and pressed against a stony surface while the actress performed the supposed deliverance.

“On 6th March, 2026, I stumbled upon a viral footage and photos on the official Facebook page of the Respondent, Tonto Dikeh, a Nollywood actress showing the Respondent carrying out a vicious religious exorcism on a female school child wherein the child was laid on bare ground while being pressed against the stony surface despite the Respondent wearing artificial finger nails; harassing, and publicly shaming the child,” the affidavit stated.

The lawyer argued that the act amounted to degrading treatment and exposed the child to public humiliation and possible psychological trauma.

He also alleged that publishing the video and images on social media violated the child’s right to privacy as guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the provisions of the Child Rights Act 2003.

According to Obasi, portraying the child as being demonically possessed could subject her to ridicule, stigma and discrimination among her peers.

In the suit, the lawyer is asking the court to declare that the alleged deliverance ritual carried out by the actress violated the child’s fundamental right to dignity as provided under Section 34 of the Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Child Rights Act.

He also urged the court to declare that any form of child exorcism or harmful religious practice carried out under the guise of spiritual deliverance is a violation of children’s rights.

Obasi further asked the court to order Dikeh to remove the video and images from all her social media platforms and publish an unreserved apology to the child and Nigerian children in three national newspapers.

The suit also seeks a perpetual injunction restraining the actress from carrying out similar acts on any Nigerian child.

In addition, the lawyer is asking the court to award ₦200 million in damages against Tonto Dikeh, claiming the child has been facing stigmatisation since the incident.