A Lagos-based woman, Osarobo Odigie, has instituted legal action against popular TikTok streamer Habeeb Hamzat , popularly known as Peller, over alleged defamation, cyber harassment, and invasion of privacy at a lounge.

In a pre-action letter dated March 10, 2026, and signed by Bola Osineye of FA Garrick & Co., the claimant’s lawyers accused the influencer of making defamatory remarks against their client and publishing a video of her online without consent.

According to the letter, the incident occurred in the early hours of January 6, 2026, at Folixxx Lounge along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State.

“Our client was present at Folixxx Lounge… for the purpose of purchasing food. While standing at the counter/cashier area, our client was suddenly startled by your loud outburst directly behind her,” the letter stated.

The lawyers alleged that after Odigie moved away from Peller due to the loudness, he confronted her and demanded to know why she had stepped aside.

“You aggressively approached her and proceeded to instruct her to ‘shut up’. When she requested that you moderate yourself in a public space, you immediately resorted to verbal abuse, including but not limited to Yoruba curses such as ‘Oloriburuku,’ ‘Omo Ale,’ and ‘Ashawo,’” the letter read.

The law firm said the words were “untrue, ridiculing and defamatory,” and were used publicly with the intention of humiliating their client.

They further alleged that Peller recorded the confrontation on his phone without her consent and subsequently shared the video across multiple social media platforms.

“You proceeded to escalate the situation by producing your mobile phone and using the same to record our client without her consent. You thereafter published the video on your Snapchat, WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms, causing public ridicule of our client,” the letter added.

The lawyers claimed the video quickly went viral due to the influencer’s large online following, attracting thousands of comments and allegedly leading to harassment and cyberbullying directed at their client.

“Owing to your substantial online presence and following as a streamer and public influencer, the video went viral almost immediately… triggering thousands of comments, many of which reiterated and amplified your defamatory remarks against her,” the letter stated.

The claimant also alleged that the online exposure had led to reputational damage, emotional distress and threats to her safety.

“Our client has suffered significant emotional distress and has developed genuine fears for her safety,” the lawyers wrote.

Consequently, the claimant is demanding a total sum of N395m in damages. This includes N200m as compensation for the alleged defamatory publication, N100m for emotional trauma and reputational harm, and N75m for additional distress caused by alleged cyberbullying and threats from members of the public.

The legal team also demanded N20m to cover legal fees and related costs.

In addition to the monetary compensation, the lawyers asked Peller to 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 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.

“You are required to issue a clear, unequivocal, and public apology to our client across all platforms where the defamatory content was published,” the lawyers said.

They also demanded that the influencer notify third-party blogs and platforms where the video may have been reposted and ensure its removal within seven days.

The lawyers warned that failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated period would result in the commencement of legal proceedings.

“Should you fail, refuse, or neglect to comply… our client shall, without further recourse to you, institute appropriate legal proceedings against you,” the letter stated.

The lawsuit follows a widely circulated confrontation between Peller and the woman at a Lagos eatery on January 6.

Peller had earlier apologised publicly to the woman on January 9 after the video sparked widespread criticism online. In the apology video, he admitted that his reaction was out of character and expressed regret for his conduct during the altercation. (PUNCH)

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