Nigerian Pastor Demands N200bn Damages From X User, Reason Emerges
- Nigerian Pastor Lady Apostle Helen Ukpabio's daughter, Imaobong Elijah Ukpabio, has issued a legal threat to X user for alleged defamation
- Emoseh Khamofu, popularly known as "Bloody Civilian", alleged that Lady Ukpabio was involved in child witch killings
- In a legal document, the cleric's family are demanding N200 billion in damages from Khamofu, or he should withdraw the statement
Imaobong Elijah Ukpabio, daughter of renowned pastor Lady Apostle Helen Ukpabio, has announced her intention to take legal action against social media user Emoseh Khamofu, popularly known as "Bloody Civilian." The controversy began after Emoseh made serious allegations against Lady Ukpabio on X (formerly Twitter), accusing her of involvement in child witch killings.
Imaobong Ukpabio demanded that Emoseh retract her statements, calling them damaging and false. However, Emoseh refused to back down, replying sarcastically to the demand. Lady Ukpabio's legal team has since issued a formal letter to Emoseh, stating that her tweets have caused harm to their client's image. The letter dismissed Emoseh's claims as baseless and stated that they were made with the intent to ridicule and injure Lady Ukpabio.
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Source: Twitter
Lawyer lists damages caused by X user on pastor
According to a statement sent to Legit.ng, the legal team noted that Emoseh's statements had caused significant damage to Lady Ukpabio's reputation, lowering her image and status in the estimation of right-thinking Nigerians and foreigners. The team outlined a series of demands for Emoseh to meet, including a formal apology, publication of the apology in at least 10 Nigerian newspapers and international media outlets, and posting the apology across Emoseh's social media platforms.
Additionally, the legal team is seeking damages of N200 billion for the "emotional and reputational harm" caused by the tweets. The letter also referenced findings from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Security, which cleared Lady Ukpabio of allegations related to child witch accusations, torture, and stigmatization.
The controversy has sparked a heated debate on social media, with many users weighing in on the issue. While some have expressed support for Lady Ukpabio, others have criticized her and her team for their response to the allegations. The outcome of the legal action remains to be seen, but it is clear that the controversy has already significantly impacted Lady Ukpabio's reputation.
Lawyer speaks on defamation
Speaking on the matter, a legal practitioner, Ismail Balogun, in an interview with Legit.ng, urged Nigerians passing comments on social media to seek legal advisers before making allegations on the social media platform. He said:
"Nigerians need to better understand the law, particularly on defamation. They need to seek legal advice first."
Nigerian pastor walks out of congregation
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian Pastor Arome Osayi left his congregation after a member's phone rang during the sermon.
In a trending video, the pastor warned that he would leave the congregation should any member's phone ring, but just as he was completing his statement, another member's phone rang.
Pastor Osayi then took his file and left the congregation, and this started generating reactions from Nigerians.
Source: Legit.ng
