A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, has ordered actress Halima Abubakar, to pay the sum of N10 million to the founder of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, for publishing defamatory posts against him on social media.
According to a certified true copy of the judgment dated April 8, 2024, Apostle Suleman accused the actress of publishing derogatory comments against him on her Instagram page, which were in turn published by several blogs and newspapers.
In his judgment, Justice Enobie Obanor noted that Halima was allowed to defend herself in the matter but failed to do so.
The judgment reads in parts: “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 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 court also barred Halima from any further publication on Apostle Suleman.