Nollywood actress Adunni Ade has secured a legal victory against Google after a Lagos High Court awarded her N30 million in general damages over defamatory online publications that falsely linked her romantically to former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye.
The judgment, delivered by Justice I.O. Harrison of the Lagos High Court on July 9, 2025, also ordered Google to remove the offending publications from its platforms, including Google Search and YouTube.
Adunni Ade announced the development on her Instagram page, where she shared a copy of the court judgment alongside a brief message that read:
“Adunni Ade Vs Google. Not every battle needs a response. Some need a courtroom. Unto the next.”
The post quickly attracted congratulatory messages from fans and colleagues, many praising the actress for pursuing legal action to protect her reputation.
How the Case Began
The lawsuit stemmed from two online publications that falsely alleged the actress had been romantically involved with former senator Dino Melaye.
According to court documents, Adunni Ade argued that the stories were false, misleading and defamatory, and that they portrayed her in a manner capable of lowering her reputation in the eyes of the public.
She further contended that the publications infringed on her constitutional right to privacy and subjected her to emotional and psychological distress.
In July 2024, the actress filed a suit against Google LLC and Meta Platforms Inc., seeking N100 million in damages over the publications.
Meta Removed From the Suit
Court records showed that Meta was removed as a party to the case in April 2025 after Adunni Ade voluntarily discontinued proceedings against the company following its preliminary objection.
The case, however, continued against Google, with the court examining the company’s role in making the disputed content accessible through its services.
Court Awards N30 Million Damages
In his judgment, Justice Harrison held that the principal violation arose from the use of Adunni Ade’s name and photograph in connection with false and embarrassing allegations.
The court ordered Google to delete the publications and remove references linking the actress to the defamatory claims.
Justice Harrison also awarded N30 million in general damages, stating that once a violation of a person’s fundamental rights has been established, further proof of damage is unnecessary.
According to the judgment:
“It is trite that damages, when violation of fundamental right is established, needs no further proof.”
The ruling represents one of the notable Nigerian court decisions involving online platforms and alleged reputational harm.
Second Court Victory for the Actress
The latest judgment comes only months after Adunni Ade secured another legal victory.
Earlier in 2025, the Lagos High Court awarded her N20 million in damages in a separate privacy breach case involving a Nigerian media organisation and one of its reporters.
That lawsuit arose from a January 2023 publication which listed the actress among women allegedly linked romantically to Dino Melaye.
The court found in her favour in that case as well, reinforcing her efforts to challenge publications she considered false and damaging.
Growing Focus on Online Defamation
The judgment adds to a growing number of cases in which public figures have turned to Nigerian courts over defamatory online content.
Legal experts say the decision highlights the increasing responsibility of digital platforms and publishers to ensure that information associated with individuals is accurate and does not unlawfully infringe on their rights.
While search engines generally index content published by third parties, courts in different jurisdictions have, in some circumstances, ordered the removal of unlawful or defamatory material following judicial findings.
For celebrities and public figures, the ruling also underscores the legal remedies available where false publications cause reputational harm.
