Barring any unforeseen delays, UK-based blogger Maureen Badejo is scheduled for arraignment this Friday, February 20, at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Badejo faces a five-count charge involving cyberstalking, blackmail, and defamation.
The charges stem from petitions filed by Apostle Johnson Suleman and Lagos-based global security analyst, Mr. Dickson Osagie.
Sources close to the investigation indicate that Badejo, who has been in police custody for several weeks, is accused of publishing defamatory videos and statements portraying Apostle Suleman as a cultist, rapist, and ritualist.
Furthermore, the prosecution alleges that Badejo used her YouTube and Facebook platforms to transmit false messages and criminal intimidation.
These broadcasts reportedly labeled Mr. Osagie as an accomplice to ritual killings and rape, while allegedly placing both men in fear of physical harm or death.
Persecondnews reports that Badejo is a social commentator, and the proprietor of GIO TV, an online news and entertainment platform broadcast via Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
Badejo is primarily known for her “investigative journalism” style, which often focuses on the activities of Nigerian religious organizations and their leaders.
Through GIO TV, she broadcasts monologues and phone-in sessions. While she has a significant following in the Nigerian diaspora (particularly in the UK, US, and Canada), her content has been highly controversial, leading to numerous legal battles and accusations of using her platform for character assassination.
Persecondnews recalls that she is also involved in high-profile litigation against Dr. Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries ( MFM.
In 2021, a UK High Court ordered her to pay £100,000 in damages to Dr. Olukoya and his wife for defamation.
Similarly, an Ogun State High Court in Nigeria awarded N500 million in damages against her for “reckless defamation.”
In 2022, she was involved in a legal dispute with Apostle Suleman. In that instance, a UK High Court dismissed a defamation claim he had filed against her and ordered him to pay her legal costs.
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