Nollywood actress and entrepreneur May Yul-Edochie has taken legal action against her former lawyer and others, seeking ₦1.5 billion in damages over the alleged leak of her private information and what she describes as a prolonged campaign of online harassment.
The lawsuit, filed before a Lagos High Court through her legal team at Greylaw Partners, names Yinka Omolola Theisen, Emeka Ugwuonye, and several unidentified operators of Facebook, Instagram and X accounts as defendants. May is asking the court to permanently stop the alleged harassment and order the removal of the disputed posts from social media platforms.
One of the major issues raised in the suit is the inclusion of a former legal representative. According to court documents, May alleges that confidential information obtained during a previous solicitor-client relationship was unlawfully disclosed and later used against her online, an action she says breached professional confidentiality.
The legal battle comes years after Yul Edochie announced in 2022 that he had married actress Judy Austin as his second wife and welcomed a child with her. The announcement sparked widespread reactions on social media, with May becoming one of the most talked-about personalities in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
In a 126-paragraph affidavit, May claimed she has endured years of coordinated online attacks, including the circulation of manipulated and AI-generated images, false publications, insulting content and even alleged death threats. She also alleged that her personal contact details were leaked, exposing her and her family to continuous harassment.
According to the suit, efforts to settle the matter privately were unsuccessful. She said cease-and-desist letters were issued to some of the defendants in September 2025, demanding that the offensive content be removed and public apologies issued. Instead, she alleged the attacks continued through newly created social media accounts.
May further argued that the alleged campaign has affected her emotionally and financially, claiming it damaged her reputation, strained business relationships and cost her endorsement opportunities.
She is asking the court to award ₦1 billion in damages against Emeka Ugwuonye and ₦500 million against Yinka Omolola Theisen, while also requesting an order compelling social media platforms to disclose the identities of anonymous accounts allegedly involved in the harassment.
Justice Abdul-Raheem Tejumade Muyideen has directed that the court documents be served on the defendants through all known communication channels. The case has been adjourned for a report on the service of the court processes.
Source: Court documents and reports from the Lagos High Court.
