Nigerian singer Bloody Civilian has officially been summoned to appear in court over allegations of defamation brought against her by Helen Ukpabio, the founder of Liberty Gospel Church.
A court document, which surfaced online on February 13, 2025, reveals a writ of summons issued by a high court in Calabar, Cross River State. The document orders the singer to appear before the court within 30 days to respond to claims that she made damaging statements about Ukpabio and her church.
This legal action follows a controversial comment Bloody Civilian made in November 2024, in which she alleged that, “She literally made people burn their children alive.”
The accusations stem from long-standing criticisms against Ukpabio, whose ministry has faced scrutiny for its stance on witchcraft and spiritual deliverance practices. Following Bloody Civilian’s statement, Ukpabio swiftly responded through her legal representatives, who issued a strongly worded cease-and-desist letter.
The letter condemned the singer’s allegations as “reckless, satanic, and libellous,” warning of legal consequences if she failed to retract her statements. “Our client’s attention has been drawn to your reckless, satanic, and libellous posts on X (formerly Twitter), one of the world’s largest social media platforms,” the letter stated.
As part of the legal demands, Ukpabio required the singer to issue a full retraction of her statements across multiple media platforms. According to the letter, Bloody Civilian was expected to make public apologies on all her social media accounts, as well as in 10 national and international newspapers, within 72 hours.
“This publication has caused irreparable damage to our client’s reputation, and we insist on a full and unequivocal retraction,” the letter continued. The church founder further argued that these allegations had put her under immense public scrutiny and emotional distress.
In addition to the public apology, Ukpabio is demanding a staggering sum of ₦200 billion in damages. The letter from her legal team explicitly stated:
“Please note that due to this malicious and libellous publication, we demand the sum of two hundred billion naira (₦200,000,000,000) as damages for the distress, trauma, pain, and anguish caused to our client. This amount must be transferred to our chambers within one week of receiving this letter.”
This demand has sparked public debate, with many questioning the rationale behind such an exorbitant sum.
Bloody Civilian, however, responded to the lawsuit in a lighthearted manner. When the defamation claim first emerged in November, she took to X (formerly Twitter) to joke about the situation, posting, “Guys, they just sued me for 200 billion naira. This December, I will add the following to my services: settling family disputes, weddings, comedy…” T
his response was widely shared by fans and followers, who saw it as a humorous dismissal of the seriousness of the legal threat. Despite the lawsuit now progressing to court, the singer has yet to make an official statement addressing the latest summons.
As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how Bloody Civilian will navigate the case and whether she will comply with the court order to appear.
The situation has ignited conversations about free speech, defamation, and the limits of public criticism, particularly when it comes to religious leaders and institutions.
With Ukpabio determined to pursue justice and the singer maintaining her defiant stance, all eyes will be on the courtroom in the coming weeks to determine the outcome of this high-profile dispute.
