The Senior Pastor of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, Chris Okafor, has stepped down from pastoral duties amid growing outrage over multiple sexual allegations against him.

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 development follows his wedding to a new bride, identified simply as Pearl, on December 16, 2025, and attended by prominent clerics.

Okafor was said to have gone ahead with the ceremony despite Ogala’s viral accusations of betrayal, emotional manipulation and reneging on a promise of marriage after a long-term relationship.

In separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, several members of the church, however, dismissed the allegations, describing them as desperate moves by individuals trying to extort money from their “man of God”.

The pressure to step down

As the allegations escalated on social media in recent weeks, with more women coming forward with different narrations, it was gathered that respected leaders in the Christian community pressured Okafor to step down in order to douse tension.

A senior executive of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, who is close to the pastor, confirmed this to one of our correspondents.

“There are more things to be done in terms of disciplinary actions,” the official added.

The source explained that the festive period had slowed down deliberations within the PFN on the scandal, as meetings could not be convened to formally discuss the matter.

“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 against the pastor, the official said, “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 added that although PFN was engaging the issue quietly, its actions 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.

‘I stepped down on God’s instruction’

However, the pastor, during his sermon at the church’s New Year crossover service on Wednesday night, said his decision to step down was for spiritual renewal.

“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.”

Okafor said the break, which he noted did not mean he would be totally absent from church activities, would last until February.

The allegations

The flurry of allegations against the cleric began on December 14 when actress Ogala posted several emotional videos on her Instagram page.

In the clips, she accused the pastor of having sexual relationship with her, which allegedly began in 2017 and lasted for nine years.

The actress said the cleric promised her marriage many times before marrying another woman in December 2025.

In the videos, she also accused Okafor of sharing her explicit videos and photos.

She said the pastor contributed to the breakdown of her previous marriage and caused her emotional distress and financial loss.

The actress also shared some bedroom photos and screenshots of conversations, with videos claiming the pastor sent her $10,000 to retract her statements and claim that a rival pastor orchestrated the accusations.

She later demanded N1bn in damages via a legal notice filed through her legal team, alleging threats and intimidation after she was arrested and detained by the police.

As the scandal escalated, some other women also alleged sexual misconduct, manipulation, infidelity and related issues against the pastor.

One of them was his former wife, Bessem Okafor, who accused Okafor of infidelity, deception and physical assault.

Speaking in an interview with popular YouTuber, Aunty Adunni, the woman said she left the cleric 14 years ago due to the shame from his alleged actions.

In another video shared on Aunty Adunni’s YouTube channel and seen by Saturday PUNCH, a lady identified simply as Ebere, said to be a former member of Okafor’s church choir, also accused him of having secret affairs with her.

The lady said her relationship with the pastor started around 2015 and lasted for many years, during which she allegedly had four abortions for him.

Ebere claimed the pastor promised her marriage multiple times but backed out, adding that she eventually kept one pregnancy for him, which resulted in a child.

Few days ago, a video surfaced on Instagram in which another lady made fresh allegations against Okafor.

She accused the pastor of having sexual relations with her and her sister, which she said resulted in pregnancies.

The lady claimed that the children involved resembled the pastor, calling for a DNA test to confirm her claims and insisting that she had evidence to support her allegations.

A social media activist, Martin Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, also shared an audio clip via his Instagram page a few days to Christmas, in which a lady, Chidera Okafor, who claimed to be the pastor’s daughter, accused him of making amorous advances towards her in the house.

She said the situation forced her to flee their home in 2020 after she reported the matter to her mother.

However, the claim was dismissed by the pastor in a viral video that gained traction during the week.

The Lagos State Police Command has said it cannot arrest the embattled pastor because there has been no formal petition against him from the victims.

Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the spokesperson for the command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was not aware of any complaints against Okafor despite the swirling allegations on social media.

“If there is any, the department handling it would have briefed me. Anyone with a petition can come forward,” Adebisi said.

Members defend pastor

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 told one of our correspondents to return the following day to speak with some officials.

However, when the reporter returned on Friday, two ladies at the church reception were unwilling to comment on the matter or link the reporter with anyone to address the allegations, saying the pastor had left everything to God.

But two elderly church members, who spoke to our correspondent, dismissed the allegations as lies, blackmail and the handiwork of detractors.

One of them, Ruben Alufe, who said he had been in the church for the past 20 years, told Saturday PUNCH that the accusations were motivated by malice.

“Pastor Okafor is a good man of God. Forget what the world is saying. They just want to blackmail him,” Alufe 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 further noted that his wife’s shop had been located on the church street for many years, giving him a front-row view of daily activities.

He questioned why anyone would spread falsehoods against the pastor, highlighting Okafor’s contributions to the community.

“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.

The second member, who refused to give his name, said the timing of the accusations showed they were false.

“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,” the member said.

“Those behind the allegations are simply 419 people. They are just looking for money. Many people go on social media to spread fake news and lies.”

Also, a pastor in the church, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the scandal as part of the spiritual challenges that come with ministry.

“One thing you must understand is that we are in a wicked world. There is nothing you do that will please human beings. They must speak either good or evil about you,” the pastor said.

He added, “For most of these things, several other men of God have gone through similar periods because if there is a next level, there will definitely be a next devil. There is no pastor who will not pass through one challenge or another. It is like that sometimes for a man of God.

“Despite what people are saying, I can still boldly say that my pastor is a man of God. He even said it on the pulpit that all the things bloggers are saying about him are lies, and I believe him. Who am I to judge him? I am not God.”

CAN, Christian leaders urge caution

Speaking on the matter, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, advised ministers to live out the messages they preach and be mindful that they would one day give account of their stewardship.

He said, “Ministers must do as I do and not do as I say because judgment will start in the house of God.”

Adegbite added that not everyone who claims to be a pastor is genuinely called, describing some as self appointed ministers driven by personal interest.

The Christian leader urged ministers to uphold godly standards in the New Year, stressing the need for fear of God despite human frailty.

He said if a pastor had admitted wrongdoing, apologised to the congregation and accepted restitution, the church could consider giving him a second chance.

“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, said issues involving pastors often attract excessive attention compared to similar acts by others in society.

William said while wrongdoing should not be justified, pastors are also human beings capable of falling, noting that the Scriptures teache forgiveness and restoration.

He said, “People do worse things than this, but once it involves a pastor, it takes a different dimension. Pastors are human beings. Things that are not right are certainly not right, but the Bible says a righteous man falls seven times and the Lord forgives him.”

He questioned the intention behind publicising such matters, asking whether it was to glorify Jesus or to bring shame to the church and the altar.

He cited instances where actions by traditional rulers and others attracted little public outrage, adding that similar actions by pastors are often portrayed differently.

William, however, warned ministers to be conscious of their weaknesses and guide themselves carefully, stressing that self discipline was key to avoiding situations that could derail their calling.

“As pastors, you must know your limits and consciously guide yourself. You have to covenant with yourself so you do not fall victim to your weaknesses,” he said. (Courtesy of Saturday PUNCH, but headline rejigged)

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