Tope Alabi, the popular Nigerian Gospel singer, has warned people who publish and circulate false and defamatory statements that they could face liability.
The warning was in a public notice her solicitors, Oakmount Legal Practitioners, issued on Friday, saying they had been instructed to pursue legal remedies against people whose conduct gave rise to actionable claims.
The notice Alabi shared on Instagram on Friday, dated October 23, 2026, described her as a gospel minister, recording artist, songwriter, actress, and public figure of national and international repute.
It stated that the singer had spent almost 30 years building her reputation, adding that her “reputation is a valuable personal and professional asset, and it is protected by law”.
The solicitors said it had come to their client’s attention that “false, misleading and injurious statements concerning her have been, and may continue to be, published and circulated to the public, whether in print, broadcast, online or by word of mouth”.
They warned that anyone who published such statements without lawful justification could be held liable.
The notice stated, “That any person who, without lawful justification, publishes or causes to be published, whether in writing, in print, through images, videos, audio, electronic or social media posts, or any other permanent form (libel), or by spoken words, broadcasts, interviews, podcasts, live streams, voice notes or any other transient form (slander), any statement concerning our Client which is false, malicious or calculated to injure her reputation, shall be held personally liable for such publication.”
The legal firm also warned that liability could extend to people who amplify the material, not just those who originally created it.
“Liability may extend, inter alia, to the originator of the statement and to any person who repeats, republishes, reposts, shares, forwards or otherwise amplifies the same, depending on the circumstances of the publication and any applicable legal defences,” the notice stated.
It further cautioned social media users against assuming that anonymous accounts would protect them from legal action.
“The use of anonymous, pseudonymous or unverified accounts does not, of itself, confer immunity from legal liability,” the solicitors said.
They added that Alabi reserved the right to seek court orders, where legally permissible, to identify those responsible for offending publications, including through relevant platforms, hosts or service providers.
The notice directed people who had already published the material to take it down and refrain from further publication.
“Any person who has already published such material is hereby required to remove the same forthwith and to desist from any further publication,” it stated.
However, the firm warned that removing a post would not automatically absolve the publisher of liability for the earlier publication.
The solicitors said they had been instructed to institute proceedings against anyone whose conduct gave rise to an actionable claim “without further notice or recourse”.
The notice listed the remedies Alabi could seek, including general damages and, where legally available and justified, aggravated or exemplary damages.
Other remedies listed were injunctions restraining further publication, an order compelling a retraction and an unreserved public apology, and the costs of the legal action on a full indemnity basis.
The firm added that the singer reserved the right to pursue remedies available under Nigerian law and refer appropriate cases to relevant authorities.
However, the notice clarified that it was not intended to restrict lawful expression.
“Nothing in this Notice is intended to restrict truthful statements, fair comment on matters of public interest, or the lawful exercise of the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by law,” it stated.