A Lagos State High Court has issued an interim order restraining social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), Nollywood actress Doris Ogala, and public commentator Kelvin Emmanuel from publicly discussing Pastor Chris Okafor or his church.
Justice M. A. Savage, sitting at the High Court in Ikeja, granted the order on Thursday, January 22, following an application filed by the claimant’s lawyer, Ife Ajayi.
The court ruled that the order will remain in effect pending the determination of the substantive suit.
According to the ruling, the defendants are restrained, either personally or through agents, from mentioning Pastor Okafor or his ministry on social media or any other public platform.
The order also bars them from sharing the name, images, or videos of Pastor Chris Okafor, content relating to Grace Nation International Church, also known as Liberation City and any alleged private chats, messages, images, or recordings connected to the claimant
Justice Savage further directed that the defendants must not release any material that could be used to blackmail or extort money from the cleric.
The court also granted an order for substituted service, meaning legal documents in the case will be served on the defendants through publication in a national newspaper. The matter has been adjourned to February 2, 2026, for hearing.
The suit, marked ID 14399GCMW/2026, follows public allegations made in recent months by Doris Ogala and VeryDarkMan concerning Pastor Okafor. The claims circulated widely online and included calls for authorities to investigate issues allegedly linked to the church.
However, the court clarified that the interim order does not determine the merits of the allegations, as the case is yet to be fully heard.
Legal observers note that both sides are expected to present their arguments when the matter proceeds to substantive hearing next month.