Halima Abubakar said that Apostle Suleman broke his vow to marry her and was responsible for the serious illness that had afflicted her for years.
The dispute between Apostle Suleman Johnson, the founder of Omega Fire Ministries International, and Halima Abubakar, a former Nollywood actress, has taken a new turn after the preacher formally filed a lawsuit.
The preacher dragged Ms. Abubakar before Justice J. Enobie Obanor of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the Abuja Judicial Division through his legal counsel, Ephesus Lex Attorneys & Solicitors.
Apostle Johnson Suleman sued her for alleged slander in October 2022.
The court case officially begins on March 25.
The Apostle filed a petition in 2022 requesting a number of sanctions against the actress.
For the first time since she posted a post relating her claimed affair with the Apostle to the fibroid surgery she received in July 2022, he responded to the situation in public for the first time.
The apostle was then contacted by the actress’s siblings via Instagram and told to keep away from her.
The Apostle requested a declaration that her publishing was defamatory among other things.
Additionally, he insisted that she tender an unqualified apology and pay additional financial damages.
This happened just a day after she hosted a live Instagram session to discuss her friendship with Apostle Suleman.
The actress Friday made numerous attempts to have a live Instagram session with infamous faceless blogger Gistlover, as if she had heard about the case.
Poor connectivity caused the session to break up, which the anonymous writer blamed on Apostle Suleman’s “spiritual” meddling.
Legal Proceedings
The Apostle and his attorneys have filed a lawsuit against the actress as a result of her refusal to comply with his requests.
According to Rodney Adzuanaga, Mr. Suleman’s attorney, the actress boasted that she was prepared to appear in court rather than abide by the cleric’s initial cease and desist warning.
“We then submitted our paperwork, and the court granted us permission to move on with the case. Right now, she has received justice. We chose to give her the notification via the Daily Trust newspaper because we don’t know her address in Abuja.
“It’s none of our business whether she shows up for court or not. The court will decide our case after we present evidence to support it. She has been served, of that I am certain,” he said.
Claims and Demand
Ms. Abubakar, who is reportedly ill with an unidentified illness, said that she had dated the Apostle before the legal processes began.
She further claimed that the apostle was to blame for her illness, saying that he should be held accountable if anything happened to her.
The apostle, who recently escaped a shooting, accuses the actress of defamation.
Her comments harmed his character, credit, reputation, integrity, and ministry, according to the court papers.
Mr. Suleman is requesting the court to issue an order requiring the defendant to retract her defamatory statements that were published on her Instagram account @Halimabubakar and in a number of other online blogs and publications.
Additionally, he is requesting a court order requiring her to pay for the removal of all links and reports of the alleged defamatory comments from all internet platforms.
Other demands include an order of permanent injunction prohibiting her, her agents, or her servants from future publishing or causing to be published the aforementioned or similar comments defamatory to the claimant, as well as the sum of N1 billion as aggravated and exemplary damages for libel.
He is also requesting a court order for Ms. Abubakar to reimburse the N20 million legal cost given to the attorney handling this case.
Background
Ms. Abubakar, who made her acting debut in 2001 with a supporting role in “Rejected,” announced her retirement in October 2022.
On her official Instagram page, the contentious actress announced the information.
Although she did not explain her choice, the post’s title, “rejuvenate and continue mending,” gives the impression that it may be related to her failing health.
The former actress accused the famous clergyman of breaking his vow to marry her for months on end.
She also claimed that he was responsible for a secret, life-threatening condition that had been bothering her for years.
The preacher then gave the actress a notice to quit and desist.
The cleric claimed that Ms. Abubakar had posted harmful, slanderous, and humiliating remarks about him on several microblogging platforms.