Judy Austin files an N1bn lawsuit against ex-husband Emmanuel Obasi over alleged defamatory claims amid a renewed dispute over their former marriage

Nollywood actress Judy Austin has filed a N1 billion lawsuit against her former husband, Emmanuel Obasi, over alleged defamatory and malicious statements, escalating a long-running dispute between the former couple.

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The legal action, filed in 2026, comes after months of public exchanges between Austin and Obasi, whose disagreement has included claims about the circumstances surrounding the end of their marriage and Austin’s subsequent relationship with actor Yul Edochie.

According to court documents circulating online, Austin is seeking N1 billion in general damages from Obasi over the alleged defamatory conduct.

The suit also seeks other reliefs, including post-judgment interest of 10 per cent per annum until any judgment sum awarded by the court is fully paid.

The development marks a significant shift from the public exchanges that have characterised the dispute, with Austin now asking the courts to determine the issues raised by the parties.

The latest legal action follows allegations Obasi made during an appearance on The Honest Bunch podcast in June.

Obasi spoke about the collapse of his marriage to Austin and alleged that her interest in Yul Edochie began while she was still married to him.

Austin rejected the allegations and challenged her former husband to substantiate his claims in court.

“I met Yul Edochie three years after my marriage to this man had ended,” Austin said in response to the allegations, maintaining that the relationship did not begin during her marriage to Obasi.

The actress has also disputed differing accounts of when her marriage to Obasi ended. While Obasi had previously referred to 2013, Austin said she left the marriage in 2012.

She further denied claims that she had deliberately prevented Obasi from seeing their two children, saying the children had spent several years with her parents before she moved them to Enugu in 2018.

The dispute has also touched on the role of Yul Edochie in the lives of Austin’s children. Austin has credited the actor with providing financial and practical support for the children, including school fees and accommodation.

Yul Edochie has separately denied allegations that he prevented Obasi from having access to his children.

Obasi, meanwhile, has previously spoken publicly about his difficulty maintaining contact with the children. In 2024, he alleged that he had been denied access to them for years.

In a later clarification after becoming emotional during a podcast appearance, Obasi said his distress was about his children rather than his former wife.

“I am not crying over a woman; I am only crying over my children,” he said.

The latest lawsuit therefore brings a deeply personal dispute into a formal legal setting, where the competing claims can be tested through the judicial process rather than social media.

The case is also unfolding alongside another legal action by Austin against veteran actress Rita Edochie, whom she is separately suing over alleged defamatory statements.

Reports say Austin is seeking N50 million in damages in that case, as well as a retraction, apology and an injunction against further publication of the alleged statements.

For Austin and Obasi, the N1 billion claim represents a dramatic new chapter in a dispute that has repeatedly returned to the public spotlight.

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The allegations contained in the case remain claims at this stage, and the court will ultimately determine whether Austin is entitled to the damages and other reliefs she is seeking.