In a decisive turn of events at the Federal High Court in Lagos, on 6 March, 2026, UK-based blogger, Maureen Badejo, was properly arraigned on a four-count charge of cyberstalking and defamation. The court subsequently revoked the bail previously granted by a lower court and ordered her immediate remand at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The charges, brought following a petition by Apostle Johnson Suleiman of Omega Fire Ministries, paint a picture of a sustained online campaign aimed at destroying the reputation of religious figures through false and inflammatory publications.
The Charges: A Pattern Of Malice
According to the charge sheet, dated 25 February, 2026, the defendant and others still at large were accused of publishing allegedly false and defamatory content through a podcast on her GIO TV Media platform, using a Facebook account.
The prosecution alleged that the publication targeted Pastor Ajose Sola, a regional pastor of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) at the Igando Parish, with four distinct allegations designed to incite public disorder.
Count One alleges that Badejo made a podcast in which she claimed the cleric “is involved in several diabolical practices like carrying sacrifices and engaging Sunday Oyelakin to do diabolical activities for him.”
Count Two accuses Badejo of publishing another podcast alleging that the pastor was having an affair with the wife of a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) living in the same estate. The police maintained that the statement was knowingly false and intended to cause public disorder.
Count Three contains the most sensational allegations: that the MFM pastor “buried a live cow and ram behind his compound for satanic purposes” and was “using juju to control members of the church.” The charge further alleged that the defendant described the pastor as a “babalawo” (a traditional priest) who manipulates the congregation through diabolical means.
Count Four alleges that Badejo posted a publication questioning why the pastor allegedly performed rituals and used “black medicine” while selling “manna water” to church members, making a mockery of the church’s spiritual practices.
The police said the publication suggested the cleric used ritual practices instead of genuine religious teachings.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravene Section 24(1)(b) and are punishable under Section 24(2)(ii) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, as amended in 2024, which criminalises the intentional dissemination of false information capable of causing a breakdown of law and order or posing a threat to life.
Following her arraignment, Justice Aluko ordered that Maureen Badejo be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until 16 March, 2026, for the continuation of the hearing.
A Pattern Of Defamation Across Jurisdictions
This arrest is not an isolated incident, but the culmination of a long history of legal troubles for Blogger Badejo. Her actions have drawn the ire of courts both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
In a judgment delivered in January 2026, the UK High Court of Appeal upheld earlier rulings against Badejo, ordering her to pay £100,000 in damages to Dr. Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of MFM, and his wife, Folashade, after she lost a defamation suit. The court had earlier, in April 2021, ordered her to pay £65,000 to Olukoya and £35,000 to his wife over defamatory publications.
The UK court also directed Maureen Badejo to publicly retract the defamatory statements and publish a summary of the judgment on her social media platforms for 10 consecutive days.
Delivering the UK judgment, Justice Lavender of the Queen’s Bench Division described Badejo’s proposed grounds of appeal as “both hopeless and pointless,” adding that her application was “totally without merit.” The court held that her online publications concerning Pastor Olukoya and his wife were false and defamatory, finding that the claims lacked factual basis.
In Nigeria, an Ogun State High Court had previously ordered Badejo to pay ₦500 million to MFM and Dr. Olukoya for defamation, with the judge describing her actions as “reckless defamation” and an “evil use of the internet and social media.”
The Pit They Dug: A Biblical Reckoning
It is particularly striking that Badejo had previously made statements suggesting that Dr. Olukoya was experiencing “global shame” as a result of their legal battles. Today’s (Friday) proceedings reveal the painful irony of her situation—the very “global shame” she prophesied against another has manifestly become her own reality.
The Scriptures speak directly to such circumstances. In Proverbs 26:27, we are warned: “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” This ancient wisdom finds contemporary expression in Badejo’s situation—the pit of defamation and false publication that she dug for others has become the very place of her confinement.
A Warning To Media Practitioners
The unfolding saga of Blogger Maureen Badejo stands as a cautionary tale for those who would use their media platforms as instruments of defamation and character assassination. What began as a campaign against men of God has resulted in repeated legal defeats across two jurisdictions, substantial monetary judgments, and now, incarceration.
The Bible is unambiguous in its condemnation of such conduct. Proverbs 8:13 declares: “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances.”
As Blogger Badejo returns to Kirikiri Correctional Centre, the case serves as a powerful reminder that the weapons of evil often turn against those who wield them. The very platform she used to disseminate falsehoods has become the instrument of her public humiliation.
The case continues on 16 March, 2026, but for now, the message is clear: those who dig pits for others must be prepared to lie in them.
