Phyna Files N500 Million Defamation Suit Against Carter Efe Over Sex Claim

Content Creator and Streamer Carter Efe and Former Big Brother Naija winner Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna

Phyna Files N500 Million Defamation Suit Against Carter Efe Over Sex Claim

Reality TV star gives content creator seven days to retract claim or face legal proceedings after explosive social media dispute.

Former Big Brother Naija winner Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has initiated legal action against content creator and streamer Carter Efe, demanding ₦500 million in damages over allegations that he falsely claimed they had a sexual relationship. The legal move follows days of escalating online drama that has dominated Nigerian social media conversations and drawn widespread public attention, with fans and observers closely following the unfolding dispute between the two prominent figures in Nigeria’s entertainment space.

In a pre-action letter dated July 30, 2026, signed by Segun Ojienoh of Eko Solicitors & Advocates, Phyna accused Carter Efe, whose real name is Joseph Oderhohwo Efe, of making defamatory remarks during a livestream broadcast on Twitch and X on July 25. The letter detailed how Carter Efe repeatedly claimed, “You slept with me,” during the broadcast, a statement that Phyna’s legal team argued falsely portrayed her as someone who engages in sexual relationships to gain opportunities to appear on livestreams. The lawyers further contended that the statement exposed Phyna to public ridicule and caused significant harm to her reputation, which she has built over years as a public figure and brand influencer.

“As you coldly calculated, the sinister statement has since been rebroadcast on numerous platforms and by handles which are legion, thereby escalating the untoward damage already visited on Phyna,” the letter reads in part. “The above defamatory words which you uttered were packed with innuendos suggesting that Phyna will sleep with anyone with a significant online following in order to get featured on livestreams, especially when the statement is rationalised alongside the sentences uttered in the sequence following the defamatory words.” The legal team emphasized that the defamatory nature of the statement was compounded by the viral nature of social media, where content can spread rapidly and reach millions of viewers within hours.

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Phyna’s lawyers demanded that Carter Efe take specific actions to remedy the harm caused. First, they demanded that he retract the statement within seven days of receiving the letter, doing so in a contrite manner. Second, they required that he publish an undertaking not to make similar comments in the future, effectively committing to refrain from further character assassination. Third, they insisted that the retraction be issued via the same livestream platforms where the statement was made, ensuring that the correction reaches the same audience that witnessed the original allegation. At this stage, Phyna is not seeking monetary compensation, with the letter stating she has set the value of damages demanded at “₦0.00 (Zero Naira, Zero Kobo)” , a gesture her lawyers described as gracious and focused on clearing her name rather than financial gain.

However, the letter warns that failure to comply with the demands will result in legal proceedings, with Phyna seeking not less than ₦500 million in general, exemplary, and aggravated damages for the alleged harm to her reputation. “If you do not meet any – or all – of the above demands, TAKE NOTICE THAT, without prejudice to other rights, reliefs and remedies available to her, Phyna will be seeking legal redress against you by claiming a sum not less than a sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) only as general, exemplary and aggravated damages, for the malicious damage you did to Phyna’s character,” the letter added, leaving no doubt about the seriousness of the legal threat.

The controversy that led to this legal action began when Davrel, a streamer associated with singer Davido, alleged that Carter Efe had described Phyna as being “of no benefit.” Phyna responded by calling out Davrel over an alleged unpaid debt, triggering a public exchange between the parties that quickly escalated on social media. The situation intensified when Davrel accused Phyna of making sexual advances toward him and claimed she had asked him to introduce her to his father, further inflaming tensions and drawing more attention to the dispute. During a subsequent confrontation between Phyna and Carter Efe in a viral video shared on social media, Carter Efe claimed they had been sexually involved, a statement that became the basis for the current legal action. In the viral exchange, Phyna asked, “Me and you fck?”* and Carter Efe responded, “Yes. I will bring the whole evidence come outside.” Phyna then replied, “Thank you very much. You and Davrel will hear from my lawyer,” foreshadowing the legal action that would follow.

During an Instagram Live session on Thursday night, an emotional Phyna apologised to her fans and confirmed that legal action had been taken against both Carter Efe and Davrel. She reflected on the toll the ordeal had taken on her, saying, “I know a lot of people say I’ve lost my self-respect. I have put myself down so much, and I think I finally realised that. Yes, you are saying the truth.” Phyna continued, “I have stood different kinds of drags, but there are two types of drags that I can’t stand. One is what everybody knows, and the other one is a sexual and man issue. I do not move that way,” emphasizing the particular pain caused by allegations of a sexual nature. She stated that the events of the past few days had forced her to adopt a new approach, one that prioritizes legal recourse over emotional reactions. “Since I started streaming, I tried to stream the way everybody streams, but it has brought a lot of disrespect to me, and this one that happened recently has to be the last time I will be disrespected like that. It has to be the last time my playful self or that Phyna that’s always there for everybody, laughing with everybody, or that Phyna that would always rant online when someone offended her,” she said. “This is the end of that Phyna because, at last, I’m finally learning how to use legal means because, at the end of the day, if I check it, I don’t really look for trouble. Most times, it’s my own reactions that overshadow what was done to me, and it makes the whole thing seem like I am the one wrong. So, Carter Efe and Davrel, check your emails and WhatsApp. You’ve been served. Thank you,” she concluded, signaling a new chapter in how she handles public disputes.

Shortly after Phyna’s announcement, Carter Efe confirmed in a video shared online that he had been sued for ₦500 million. As of the time of this report, he had not publicly indicated whether he would comply with the demands in the pre-action letter, leaving his next move uncertain. The coming days will determine whether the matter is resolved out of court or proceeds to litigation, a development that would likely draw even more attention to the already high-profile dispute.