Peggy Ovire has fired back strongly at Taye Arimoro’s ₦100 million lawsuit, issuing a detailed legal response that accuses him of distorting the truth and hiding his own alleged violent behaviour during their on-set dispute.
In the letter released by her legal team, Ovire dismissed all claims of assault, unlawful detention, harassment, and human-rights violations. Her lawyers described Arimoro’s account as a “carefully edited half-story” that deliberately excludes what they say were his unprovoked attacks on two members of her production crew.
The response alleges that Arimoro slapped, punched, and knocked down the production manager, Luke Obayi, after he appealed to him to return to set and finish a role he had already been fully paid for. Ovire’s driver, Joshua Madu, was also said to have been assaulted and left bleeding from the ear and nose after Arimoro allegedly head-butted him while trying to flee the scene.
According to the letter, neighbours who witnessed the incident voluntarily gave statements to the police confirming Arimoro’s aggressive conduct.
Ovire’s lawyers argued that Arimoro was never unlawfully detained. They said the only reason he was stopped from leaving was to prevent him from escaping after allegedly injuring two people, one of whom was left unconscious. They insisted Ovire did not attack Arimoro at any point, explaining that the only contact she made was a light push when he allegedly attempted to deflate her car tyres.
The legal response also targeted Arimoro’s Instagram Live broadcast, describing it as a strategic PR move meant to mask his behaviour and manipulate public perception. They accused him of deliberately releasing only selective CCTV clips while ignoring the full footage and evidence available to the police.
The letter rejected claims that Arimoro was mobbed, beaten, or left with a fractured jaw, calling such allegations fabricated. It stated that the only tyre deflated was Arimoro’s, done by Ovire’s driver to prevent him from driving off before law enforcement arrived.
Ovire’s legal team noted that both the police and the Actors Guild of Nigeria are already investigating the incident. They described the ₦100 million compensation demand as baseless and premature, especially since the same allegations are still under official review.
The letter maintained that Ovire did not violate Arimoro’s rights in any way, arguing instead that Arimoro was the one who violated the rights and safety of her crew through his alleged violent outbursts. Her lawyers added that she reserves the right to pursue her own legal actions for assault, breach of peace, and defamation once investigations are concluded.
They ended the response by stating that there will be no apology, no compensation, and no acceptance of claims they describe as manipulative, misleading, and completely inconsistent with eyewitness accounts and evidence.
