Apostle Helen Ukpabio, the founder of Liberty Gospel Church, has filed a ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit against Nigerian singer Emoseh Khamofu, popularly known as Bloody Civilian, over alleged defamatory statements made on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The controversy stems from a November 24, 2024, post celebrating Apostle Ukpabio’s 60th birthday. Bloody Civilian’s comments on the post referenced alleged harmful impacts of Ukpabio’s teachings on infants in communities near her ministry. The remarks were deemed defamatory by the cleric, who has since taken legal action.
In a formal notice issued by her legal representatives, Ukpabio described the singer’s statements as “reckless, satanic, and libellous.” The letter demanded that Bloody Civilian issue a public retraction and apology on all social media platforms, as well as in ten national and international newspapers, within 72 hours.
Additionally, the cleric is seeking ₦200 billion in damages, citing “distress, trauma, pain, and anguish” caused by the allegations. She also claimed that prior investigations by the police had concluded that the accusations against her were “grossly false.”
“Our client’s attention has been drawn to your reckless, satanic, and libellous posts on X (formerly Twitter), one of the world’s largest social media platforms,” the letter stated.
The letter emphasized that all demands must be met within the 72-hour deadline, or further legal action would follow. This lawsuit adds a significant layer of complexity to the dispute, as the case has drawn public attention to both the allegations and the legal battle between the prominent cleric and the singer.
