Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar has publicly apologized to Apostle Johnson Suleman, the Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, following her earlier defamatory claims against him.
In a heartfelt statement posted on her Instagram on Wednesday, Abubakar acknowledged that her previous remarks were “false and hurtful.” She expressed deep remorse for the distress her allegations caused to Apostle Suleman and his family.
In her message, the actress attributed her actions to a lapse in judgment and emphasized that her apology stemmed from a period of “deep reflection and conscience.” She stated, “I am writing to you today to acknowledge the falsehoods I made against you on social media and to offer my sincere apology.”
Abubakar elaborated, “After deep reflection, and to align my conscience with God, I have come to understand the extent of the harm and distress my words have caused.” She admitted to making false allegations and expressed regret for the impact her actions had on Suleman, his wife, Dr. Lizzy Suleman, their family, and the leadership of Omega Fire Ministries.
“I humbly ask for your forgiveness, recognizing that my apology cannot erase the pain I have caused,” she continued. “Please find it in your heart to forgive me; I was not thinking clearly at that time. Sir, you have contributed significantly to humanity; I hope you can extend your hands of forgiveness to me.”
The controversy began in 2022 when Abubakar claimed on social media that she had a romantic relationship with Apostle Suleman, leading to threats of legal action from the pastor over what he termed defamatory statements. The situation escalated in 2023 when Abubakar alleged that she had been pregnant multiple times with Suleman’s child.
In April, a federal high court in Abuja ruled in favor of Apostle Suleman, ordering Abubakar to pay N10 million in damages for defamation. The court also issued a directive prohibiting her from making further defamatory statements against him.
