Nollywood actress Queeneth Hilbert has initiated legal action against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and fellow actress Destiny Etiko, seeking protection from arrest and alleging violations of her fundamental rights. This development follows a series of public disputes and legal maneuvers between the two actresses.
The conflict began when Queeneth Hilbert accused Destiny Etiko of interfering in her personal relationships. In a now-deleted Instagram video, Hilbert alleged that Etiko had “snatched” her wealthy boyfriend and had a history of engaging with other colleagues’ benefactors who sponsor their lavish lifestyles.
In response, Destiny Etiko, through her legal representatives, issued a cease-and-desist letter to Hilbert. The letter demanded a retraction of the allegations within 48 hours and sought ₦100 million in damages for defamation, stating that the claims were false and damaging to Etiko’s reputation.
On March 11, 2025, Queeneth Hilbert filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos. The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/453/25, names the IGP as the first respondent and Destiny Etiko as the second respondent. Hilbert alleges that police officers attempted to unlawfully detain her on March 8 at Etiko’s instigation, violating her constitutional rights and constituting an abuse of power.
In her suit, Hilbert seeks several declarations from the court, including:
A declaration that the attempted arrest and ongoing threats against her violate Sections 34, 35, 39, and 41 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression, and movement.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining the police from arresting, interrogating, or detaining her over the statements made on her Instagram handle.
₦100 million in damages for the alleged harassment and restriction of her movement.
By Ezinne Okorie.
