A Lagos-based woman, Osarobo Odigie, has instituted legal action against popular TikTok streamer Habeeb Hamzat, widely known as Peller, demanding N395 million in damages over alleged defamation, cyber harassment, and invasion of privacy following a confrontation at a Lagos lounge.
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The legal action comes amid a broader crackdown by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, which has warned content creators against filming unsuspecting members of the public without their consent, threatening criminal prosecution for violators and sanctions against social media platforms that fail to act.
In a pre-action letter dated March 10, 2026, signed by Bola Osineye of FA Garrick & Co., the claimant’s lawyers detailed what they said occurred in the early hours of January 6, 2026, at Folixxx Lounge along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State.
According to the letter, Odigie was at the lounge to purchase food and was standing at the counter when she was startled by Peller’s loud outburst directly behind her. When she moved away from him due to the noise, the influencer allegedly confronted her and demanded to know why she had stepped aside.
The lawyers alleged that Peller aggressively approached their client, instructed her to “shut up,” and when she requested that he moderate himself in a public space, he resorted to verbal abuse.
“You immediately resorted to verbal abuse, including but not limited to Yoruba curses such as ‘Oloriburuku,’ ‘Omo Ale,’ and ‘Ashawo,'” the letter stated, describing the words as untrue, ridiculing, and defamatory, used publicly with the intention of humiliating their client.
The lawyers further alleged that Peller escalated the situation by producing his mobile phone and recording their client without her consent. He then allegedly published the video across multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram.
Due to the influencer’s substantial online following, the video went viral almost immediately, attracting thousands of comments, many of which the lawyers said reiterated and amplified the defamatory remarks against their client.
The claimant alleged that the online exposure led to reputational damage, emotional distress, and threats to her safety, with the lawyers stating that their client had “suffered significant emotional distress and has developed genuine fears for her safety.”
The claimant is demanding a total of N395 million in damages, broken down as follows: N200 million as compensation for the alleged defamatory publication; N100 million for emotional trauma and reputational harm; N75 million for additional distress caused by alleged cyberbullying and threats from members of the public; and N20 million to cover legal fees and related costs.
In addition to the monetary compensation, the lawyers demanded that Peller immediately cease further publication of the video, remove the content from all his social media platforms, and issue a public apology.
The apology, according to the letter, must be published across all his social media platforms and in two national newspapers — The Punch and The Guardian — acknowledging that the statements were false, malicious, and injurious to the claimant’s reputation.
The lawyers also demanded that Peller notify third-party blogs and platforms where the video may have been reposted and ensure its removal within seven days.
They warned that failure to comply within the stipulated period would result in the commencement of legal proceedings.
It is worth noting that Peller had publicly apologised to the woman on January 9, three days after the incident, following widespread criticism online. In the apology video, the influencer admitted that his reaction was out of character and expressed regret for his conduct during the altercation.
However, the apology appears not to have satisfied the claimant, who has now proceeded with legal action nearly two months later.
The legal action against Peller comes against the backdrop of a strong warning from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to content creators across the country.
In a statement, the Commission said it had been alerted to the activities of individuals who take pictures and video footage of unsuspecting persons and share them on social media, describing such acts as violations of the constitutional right to privacy.
The Commission cited Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, stating that processing the images of people without their consent constitutes an infringement of their right to informational self-determination.
The Commission referenced a specific case involving a content creator who stands at roadsides in Lagos to produce what she describes as a reality show of unsuspecting passers-by. A preliminary investigation by the Commission revealed that the practice served neither a public nor a legitimate interest.
National Commissioner and Chief Executive of the Commission, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, directed platform owners including TikTok, X, and Meta to strengthen enforcement of their community guidelines to prevent harm to individuals through what the Commission described as unlawful and unfair processing of personal data.
The Commission warned that where a platform owner fails or neglects to act in addressing harms, it would not hesitate to impose appropriate sanctions under the Nigeria Data Protection Act. It added that individual content creators remain personally accountable for their conduct and could face criminal prosecution for violating the privacy rights of citizens.
The warning follows a recent incident in which a woman who regularly documents the persistent shortage of buses on Lagos State’s Bus Rapid Transit routes was harassed by another woman who attempted to stop her from recording the situation. The activist was confronted and threatened while documenting the lack of public transport but refused to back down, insisting on her right to record.
The convergence of the Peller legal action and the Data Protection Commission’s warning highlights growing tensions in Nigeria over the boundaries between content creation, freedom of expression, and the right to privacy, with increasing calls for clearer regulation of how influencers and content creators use the images and personal information of ordinary citizens.
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