Court restrains VDM, Doris Ogala, others from social media mentions of Chris Okafor

Justice M. A. Savage of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Thursday restrained social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), actress Doris Ogala and one Kelvin Chimaobi Emmanuel from further mentioning or referring to Dr Chris Okafor, his church or ministry on any platform pending the determination of a substantive suit the cleric filed against them.

Dr Okafor is the claimant in the case marked as suit no. ID/14399GCMW/2026 while Doris Ogala, VDM and Kelvin Emmanuel are listed as first to third defendants respectively.

The ex-parte application was brought pursuant to Order 43 Rules 1, 2 and 7 of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

The judge, ruling on the ex-parte application filed by Dr Okafor through his lawyer, Mr Ife Ajayi, also barred the defendants and their agents from publishing or releasing any alleged private materials, including chats, conversations, texts, pictures, images or videos relating to the claimant.

Specifically, Justice Savage ordered that the defendants must refrain from mentioning Dr Chris Okafor’s name, pictures, images or videos, as well as the name of his church, Grace Nation International (also known as Liberation City), whether orally or in writing, across social media or any other media platforms.

The judge further restrained the defendants from releasing to the public or third parties any materials said to be used to blackmail or extort money from the claimant, pending the final determination of the suit.

The judge also granted an order for substituted service of the claimant’s originating processes consisting of writ of summons, list of witnesses, statement on oath and other documents to be relied on through a newspaper advert publication.

The matter was adjourned till February 2, 2026 for hearing.