Human Rights Lawyer Sues Tonto Dikeh Over Alleged Child Abuse in Viral Deliverance Ritual

Tonto Dikeh 

Human rights lawyer Ikechukwu Obasi has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja against Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh, who is also known for her self-proclaimed role as an evangelist.

The suit accuses Dikeh of violating the fundamental rights of a female minor (a Junior Secondary School 1 student from Junior Secondary School, Durumi II, Abuja, originally from Rivers State) during a religious deliverance session. 

The lawyer describes the ritual as a "vicious religious deliverance ritual", allegedly involving the child being laid on the bare ground, pressed against a stony surface, harassed, and publicly shamed, while Dikeh reportedly had artificial fingernails.

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A court case was filed after a viral video showing a child's deliverance session was posted on Dikeh's Facebook page around March 6, 2026, allegedly violating the child's rights to dignity, privacy, and protection, with ₦200 million in damages being sought.

Earlier reports (around March 7, 2026) indicate that Obasi initially threatened legal action, giving Dikeh 72 hours to apologize publicly to the child, describing the act as "primitive, nasty, and reckless" and a form of child abuse under the guise of religion. He emphasized that freedom of religion (Section 38 of the Constitution) is not absolute when it harms children.

The case has sparked online discussions, with some users supporting the suit as a check against potential child exploitation or clout-chasing under religious pretexts, while others question motives or the amount sought.