CRIME
Sexual Allegations: Pastor Chris Okafor Steps Aside After Mounting Pressure from Christian Leaders, Police Await Formal Petitions
The Senior Pastor of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, Chris Okafor, has stepped down from active pastoral duties amid growing outrage over multiple sexual allegations that have continued to trail his ministry and dominate public discourse.
The cleric had last Sunday publicly apologised to an actress, Doris Ogala, during a service at his church, where he knelt on the pulpit, admitted to past “mistakes,” and sought forgiveness.
The decision to step aside comes in the wake of his controversial wedding to a new bride, identified simply as Pearl, on December 16, 2025. The ceremony, which was attended by prominent clerics, reportedly took place despite Ogala’s viral accusations of betrayal, emotional manipulation and reneging on a promise of marriage after a long-term relationship.
Okafor was said to have gone ahead with the wedding even as social media buzzed with allegations that he had maintained a prolonged relationship with the actress before marrying another woman.
In separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, several members of the church dismissed the allegations, describing them as desperate moves by individuals attempting to extort money from their “man of God”.
As the allegations escalated on social media in recent weeks, with more women coming forward with different narrations, Saturday PUNCH gathered that respected leaders within the Christian community mounted pressure on Okafor to temporarily step aside in order to douse tension and prevent further escalation.
A senior executive of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), who is close to the pastor, confirmed the development to one of our correspondents.
“There are more things to be done in terms of disciplinary actions,” the official added.
According to the source, the festive period slowed down deliberations within the PFN, as meetings could not be convened to formally discuss the scandal.
“Meetings could not be held to deliberate on actions against him (Okafor). But from the pressure from some of the leaders in the body of Christ, he has stepped down for a month. I believe that before the month ends, some decisions would have been made concerning him,” the official stated.
When asked if the PFN would investigate the allegations, the official clarified that criminal allegations were beyond the scope of the fellowship.
“I don’t think it is the PFN that should do that. We are not the police, nor are we a law enforcement agency. If there is an allegation of rape against a pastor, it is not the PFN that should investigate it. I want Nigerians to get this right: even if we do any form of inquiry, we cannot arrest anyone. This is a criminal case, and the government should step in.
“However, this does not mean that PFN does not act in situations like this. What PFN or the body of Christ can do is what we call spiritual pressure and discipline; there are other areas where the police should investigate.
“PFN does not have the statutory power to investigate or arrest when it comes to criminal allegations.”
He further explained that while PFN was engaging the issue quietly, it should not be misconstrued as a formal investigation.
“On Pastor Okafor’s matter, there are a lot of things PFN is doing behind the scenes, but I don’t want to call these things an investigation. It is not for public consumption for now. His stepping down is part of the action that PFN and the body of Christ pressured him to take.
“When we saw the enormity of the allegations, and it was already looking like a criminal matter, we had to step in and do our part, but the government also has to play its role,” the source added.
However, addressing his congregation during the church’s New Year crossover service on Wednesday night, Okafor said his decision to step aside was for spiritual renewal and personal rest.
“I will be resting. It would be time for personal retreat with God and time for me and my wife to rest,” the pastor told his congregation.
“Since our wedding, we have not rested. We have not had time. We have not even done our honeymoon.
“So, we are stepping aside to pray, to have a retreat and to rest from this January, and to return better and stronger from the presence of the Lord.”
He added that the break would last until February and clarified that it did not mean he would be completely absent from church activities.
The wave of allegations against the cleric began on December 14, when actress Doris Ogala posted several emotional videos on her Instagram page.
In the videos, she accused the pastor of having a sexual relationship with her, allegedly beginning in 2017 and lasting for nine years. She claimed that the cleric repeatedly promised to marry her before eventually marrying another woman in December 2025.
Ogala also accused Okafor of sharing her explicit videos and photos, alleging that he contributed to the breakdown of her previous marriage, caused her emotional trauma and inflicted financial losses on her.
She further shared bedroom photos and screenshots of conversations, alongside videos alleging that the pastor sent her $10,000 to retract her statements and claim that a rival pastor orchestrated the accusations.
The actress later demanded N1bn in damages through a legal notice filed by her lawyers, alleging threats and intimidation following her arrest and detention by the police.
As the scandal widened, more women surfaced with allegations ranging from sexual misconduct and manipulation to infidelity.
One of them was Okafor’s former wife, Bessem Okafor, who accused him of infidelity, deception and physical assault.
Speaking in an interview with popular YouTuber, Aunty Adunni, she said she left the cleric 14 years ago due to the shame caused by his alleged actions.
In another video shared on Aunty Adunni’s YouTube channel and seen by Saturday PUNCH, a woman identified simply as Ebere, said to be a former member of the church choir, accused Okafor of having a secret relationship with her starting around 2015.
Ebere alleged that the relationship lasted for several years, during which she had four abortions for the pastor. She claimed that he promised to marry her multiple times but backed out, adding that she later kept one pregnancy that resulted in a child.
A few days ago, another video emerged on Instagram in which a woman accused the pastor of having sexual relations with her and her sister, allegedly resulting in pregnancies. She claimed that the children bore resemblance to Okafor and called for a DNA test, insisting she had evidence to back her claims.
Social media activist, Martin Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, also shared an audio clip via his Instagram page shortly before Christmas. In the recording, a woman identified as Chidera Okafor, who claimed to be the pastor’s daughter, accused him of making amorous advances towards her at home, forcing her to flee in 2020 after reporting the matter to her mother.
The pastor, however, dismissed the claim in a viral video that circulated during the week.
The Lagos State Police Command has said it cannot arrest the embattled pastor because no formal petition has been filed by any of the alleged victims.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the spokesperson for the command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was not aware of any official complaints against Okafor despite the widespread allegations on social media.
“If there is any, the department handling it would have briefed me. Anyone with a petition can come forward,” she said.
Saturday PUNCH visited the church headquarters in the Ojodu area of Lagos on Thursday and Friday.
During the Thursday visit, a church pastor and a security guard advised the reporter to return the next day to speak with officials.
However, on Friday, staff at the reception declined to comment or link the reporter to church leaders, stating that the pastor had left everything to God.
Two elderly members of the church, however, strongly defended Okafor, dismissing the allegations as blackmail and lies.
One of them, Ruben Alufe, who said he had worshipped at the church for 20 years, described the accusations as malicious.
“Pastor Okafor is a good man of God. Forget what the world is saying. They just want to blackmail him,” he said.
“I have been a member of his church for the past 20 years. He has been my pastor and father in the Lord. I have been very close to him. That is why I can boldly say the viral allegations against him are fake. They are not real.”
Alufe also cited the pastor’s contributions to the community, including road construction, questioning why such a person would be targeted.
“Okafor is a real man of God. He is the one who constructed this road for the community. So, why should people speak ill of someone like that?” he asked.
Another member, who declined to be named, argued that the timing of the allegations raised doubts about their authenticity.
“Did you hear all these things before he got married? Did you see anything like that online? That tells you that what the bloggers are saying is not true,” he said.
A pastor in the church, who spoke anonymously, described the scandal as part of the spiritual challenges of ministry.
“There is nothing you do that will please human beings. They must speak either good or evil about you,” he said.
He added that many pastors have faced similar trials, noting that greater responsibilities often come with increased challenges.
Reacting to the controversy, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, urged ministers to practise what they preach and remember that judgment begins in the house of God.
“Ministers must do as I do and not do as I say because judgment will start in the house of God,” he said.
Adegbite cautioned that not everyone claiming to be a pastor is genuinely called, urging ministers to uphold godly standards despite human frailty. He noted that genuine repentance could open the door for restoration.
“If he repents genuinely, his life can become a testimony to others,” he said.
Also speaking, the International Secretary of the Ecumenical Synods of Bishops, Archbishops, Apostles and Senior Clergy in London, Archbishop Osazee William, warned against sensationalising issues involving pastors while stressing accountability.
“People do worse things than this, but once it involves a pastor, it takes a different dimension,” he said, noting that forgiveness and restoration are central to Christian doctrine.
William, however, advised ministers to exercise self-discipline and consciously guard against situations that could derail their calling, stressing that awareness of personal weaknesses was key to sustaining spiritual leadership.