Renowned Akwa Ibom evangelist and founder of Liberty Gospel Church, Helen Ukpabio, along with her daughter, Imaobong Elijah, has initiated a lawsuit against Nigerian singer Emoseh Khamofu, popularly known as Bloody Civilian. The lawsuit alleges that the singer made “reckless, satanic, and libelous” statements on social media, and they are demanding ₦200 billion in damages.
The controversy began after Bloody Civilian accused Helen Ukpabio of promoting violence against children, asserting that the cleric “literally made people burn their children alive.”
These accusations were made in response to a post celebrating the pastor’s 60th birthday. The claims reignited longstanding allegations against Ukpabio, who has faced criticism over her teachings related to witchcraft and child exorcism.
Reacting to the allegations, Imaobong Elijah, a journalist and the cleric’s daughter, expressed her outrage on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). She issued a five-hour ultimatum to Bloody Civilian to delete the post, describing the allegations as baseless and defamatory.
“I grew up traumatized by the constant, unfounded accusations against my mother,” Imaobong stated in her response. “This isn’t just an attack on her; it’s an attempt to tarnish the reputation of an entire family and the good work she has done.”
The legal representatives for Helen Ukpabio and Imaobong, Victor Ukut & Co., sent a formal letter to Bloody Civilian demanding an immediate retraction of the defamatory statements. The letter, which was made public on Sunday, November 24, 2024, stipulates that the singer must issue a public apology and retract her statements in ten major Nigerian newspapers, as well as on international platforms such as CNN, Al Jazeera, and Fox News. Furthermore, the retraction is expected to be prominently displayed on the singer’s social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, and X.
The legal team emphasized the gravity of the situation, highlighting how the libelous claims have harmed Helen Ukpabio’s reputation as a respected evangelist. They also expressed the emotional toll the accusations have had on Imaobong, who has spent years defending her mother against what they described as “baseless attacks.”
As of now, Bloody Civilian has yet to respond to the legal demands or issue any public statement addressing the lawsuit.
