A human rights lawyer, Ikechukwu Obasi, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against Nollywood actress and politician Tonto Dikeh, Peak Newspaper reports.
According to court documents made available to Peak Newspaper, the lawyer is accusing the actress of allegedly violating the fundamental rights of a female school child during what was described in the suit as a “vicious religious deliverance ritual.”
The suit reportedly alleges that the minor was subjected to a controversial religious deliverance exercise which the lawyer argues may have amounted to degrading treatment and a violation of the child’s constitutional rights.
Under Nigerian law, particularly the provisions protecting fundamental human rights and child welfare, every citizen especially minors is entitled to protection from abuse, inhumane treatment, or any form of violation carried out under any circumstance.
In the case filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, the human rights lawyer is seeking a legal declaration that the alleged act violated the child’s fundamental rights, Judicial intervention to protect minors from harmful practices and possible sanctions or remedies if the court finds that the child’s rights were indeed breached.
The case could spark a broader national discussion around:
Child protection laws in Nigeria
Religious practices involving minors
The responsibility of public figures when dealing with vulnerable individuals
Cases filed under fundamental rights enforcement are usually treated with urgency by Nigerian courts because they involve constitutional protections of citizens.
It is important to note that the matter is currently before the court, and no ruling has been made yet. Tonto Dikeh has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing, and the court will determine the facts as the legal proceedings unfold.
