An Ikeja High Court has scheduled April 16 for ruling in a case brought by Nigerian pastor Dr Chris Okafor against Nollywood actress Doris Ogala, social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, and Kelvin Emmanuel. The suit, filed under case number ID/14399GCMW/2026, lists Ogala, Otse, and Emmanuel as the first, second, and third defendants, respectively. When the case was called on Wednesday before Justice Akintunde Savage, Okafor’s lawyer, Ife Ajayi, informed the court that all defendants had been properly served according to the court-issued proof of service. He also requested additional time to complete certain preliminary filings. Counsel to the first defendant argued that Ogala is not based in Lagos, noting that the claimant himself acknowledged the defendants are all in Abuja. He claimed that serving the first defendant outside the court’s jurisdiction rendered the process invalid. Ajayi, however, relied on a counter-affidavit dated February 10 and sought the court’s permission to amend the filed processes, insisting that the writ of summons had been properly issued. After hearing submissions, Justice Savage adjourned the matter to April 16 to rule on the preliminary objections. Earlier in the case, the court had, on February 2, 2026, approved the service of the notice of preliminary objection on the defendants via electronic means. Additionally, on January 22, the court issued an interim order restraining the defendants from referencing Okafor, his church, or ministry on any platform pending the final determination of the suit. The order, issued following an ex-parte application under Order 43 Rules 1, 2, and 7 of the Lagos State High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2019, also barred the defendants from publishing any private materials, including chats, texts, images, or videos involving Okafor, as well as from mentioning his church, Grace Nation International, also known as Liberation City. The defendants are further restrained from releasing any materials allegedly aimed at blackmail or extortion until the suit is finally resolved.
