Apostle Suleman: Court fines Halima Abubakar N10m over defamation of cleric

A Federal Capital Territory High Court has sentenced Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar to pay N10 million in damages to Omega Fire Ministries International’s Senior Pastor and General Overseer, Apostle Johnson Suleman, for publishing insulting comments about him.

The court also barred her from making further defamatory statements about the cleric.

According to the Certified True Copy of the judgement dated April 8, 2024, Suleman accused Abubakar of making libellous allegations on her Instagram profile, @halimabubakar, which were then published by many blogs and media.

Suleman particularly stated that Abubakar accused him of being a womaniser and devilish, among other things.

According to the process, Abubakar said, “Shan, you said you don’t think I am smart? LOL, ask Sule. At your age, I am glad Gistlover sent that list. Thank you, Gistlover, for calling me out. I for dey lie and lie for Sule? Never. God bless you, gistlover. But your list is small, for real. Johnson, try me.

“Supporting you with your lies won’t work again. Anyone who involves himself or herself will be tagged a bloodsucker. All of you are supporting nonsense. No, be sule again; why do they bleed? They know the truth.

“Johnson Suleman Wake up and untie her!! You must untie her. You owe her two kids, you evil man. Not even how has your health been for 4 years… My sister must survive, O!

“Pis, don’t worry about me. But you can hold Johnson Suleman responsible just in case you can’t do anything. Nigerians, be aware if anything happens to you.

“You told her to wait for you to find out why! Knowing well what you did. Giving you space is not possible. How many women have you done this to? You said it yourself that you couldn’t solve it! Why can’t you solve it? Then you disappeared. Not a word since! With all the calls, Tex’s, etc. Sule, she believed you. Nigerians, this man is dangerous and a hazard to society from people like this.”

Suleman, on the other hand, said that Abubakar’s statement, which was posted on her Instagram account, was untrue and spiteful.

In his decision, Justice Enobie Obanor stated that Abubakar was given the opportunity to defend herself in the case but chose not to.

The judgement read, “This issue is therefore resolved in favour of the claimant. Accordingly, judgement is entered in favour of the claimant as follows:

“A declaration that the statements published by the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle, @halimabubakar, falsely and maliciously written and published to the general public, are defamatory of the person of the claimant.

“The sum of N10,000,000.00 only to the claimant as aggravated and exemplary damages for libel contained in the publication of the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle, @Halimabubakar, and caused to be published in several blogs.”

The judge also ordered Abubakar to publish a correction of her defamatory words on her Instagram account, @halimabubakar.

“An order of this Honourable Court compelling the defendant to pay for the deletion of all links and reportage of the said defamatory comments on all platforms on the internet,”  the judge added.