May Yul-Edochie has taken legal action against her former lawyer, Emeka Ugwuonye, and several unidentified social media account operators, accusing them of participating in a prolonged online campaign that allegedly violated her privacy and damaged her reputation.
The lawsuit, filed before the Lagos High Court, seeks a total of ₦1.5 billion in damages alongside multiple court orders aimed at stopping the alleged harassment.
The legal action also names Yinka Omolola Theisen and unidentified operators of Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts.
Through her legal team at Greylaw Partners, May is asking the court to issue perpetual injunctions preventing the defendants from continuing the alleged actions and to compel the removal of the disputed content from online platforms.
May alleges years of online harassment and breach of confidentiality
According to court documents, May Yul-Edochie claims that one of the most disturbing aspects of the case involves her former legal representative.
She alleges that confidential information obtained during a previous solicitor-client relationship was publicly disclosed without her consent and later used against her online.
The suit further alleges that the campaign against her extended over several years and included defamatory publications, manipulated photographs, AI-generated images, fabricated stories, insulting caricatures, and messages containing alleged death wishes.
May also claims that her personal contact information was leaked online, exposing both her and her family to persistent harassment.
The legal filing traces the beginning of the public scrutiny to 2022, when Nollywood actor Yul Edochie announced that he had married actress Judy Austin as his second wife after welcoming a child together.
The announcement generated widespread public attention, placing May at the centre of conversations across social media.
According to the affidavit supporting the suit, the online attacks continued long after the initial controversy, allegedly becoming more coordinated and more damaging to her personal and professional life.
Lawsuit seeks damages and disclosure of anonymous account operators
May argues that the alleged campaign has caused more than emotional distress. She claims it has also affected her business interests, leading to lost endorsement opportunities, damaged professional relationships, and financial losses resulting from reputational harm.
Before approaching the court, May Yul-Edochie says she attempted to resolve the matter through legal correspondence.
Court filings state that cease-and-desist notices were sent to two of the defendants in September 2025, requesting the removal of the disputed content, public retractions, and apologies.
However, she alleges that instead of complying with those demands, the online attacks intensified, with fresh anonymous social media accounts allegedly created to continue publishing similar content after earlier accounts were reported.
As part of the reliefs sought, May is asking the court to award ₦1 billion in damages against Emeka Ugwuonye and ₦500 million against Yinka Omolola Theisen.
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She is also seeking court orders directing social media platforms to disclose the identities and account information of anonymous users allegedly involved in the campaign.
Justice Abdul-Raheem Tejumade Muyideen has directed that court processes be served on the defendants through all known communication channels.
The case has been adjourned for a service report, after which further proceedings are expected to continue.
