The Senior Pastor of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, Chris Okafor, has stepped down from active pastoral duties following mounting outrage over multiple sexual allegations made against him.
The decision comes weeks after several women publicly accused the cleric of sexual misconduct, emotional manipulation, and betrayal, allegations that have continued to spread across social media.
Okafor had last Sunday apologised publicly to Nollywood actress Doris Ogala during a church service. He knelt on the pulpit, admitted to past “mistakes” and asked for forgiveness from the congregation.
The controversy also followed his wedding to a new bride, identified simply as Pearl, on December 16, 2025. The ceremony was attended by prominent clerics despite Ogala’s viral claims that the pastor had promised to marry her after a long-term relationship.
In an interview with The PUNCH, some members of the church dismissed the allegations, describing them as attempts to blackmail their pastor.
As the accusations increased, with more women sharing different accounts online, it was gathered that senior Christian leaders privately pressured Okafor to step aside to reduce tension.
A senior executive of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed this.
“There are more things to be done in terms of disciplinary actions,” the official said.
The source explained that the festive season delayed formal meetings within the PFN.
“Meetings could not be held to deliberate on actions against him. 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.
On whether the PFN would investigate the allegations, the source said the body lacked the legal power to do so.
“We are not the police. If there is an allegation of rape against a pastor, it is not the PFN that should investigate it. This is a criminal matter, and the government should step in,” he said.
He added that the PFN could only apply spiritual discipline.
“What PFN can do is spiritual pressure and discipline. We cannot arrest anyone. On Pastor Okafor’s matter, there are a lot of things PFN is doing behind the scenes, but it is not for public consumption. His stepping down is part of the action taken,” he added.
However, Okafor said his decision to step aside was based on spiritual reasons and not external pressure.
Speaking during the church’s New Year crossover service on Wednesday night, he said, “I will be resting. It would be time for personal retreat with God and time for me and my wife to rest.”
“Since our wedding, we have not rested. 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.
The pastor said the break would last until February, noting that he would not be totally absent from church activities.
The allegations against Okafor began on December 14 when actress Ogala shared emotional videos on Instagram. She alleged that the pastor had a sexual relationship with her from 2017, lasting about nine years.
She claimed he repeatedly promised to marry her but later married another woman. Ogala also accused him of sharing her private photos and videos, contributing to the collapse of her previous marriage and causing her emotional and financial distress.
She shared screenshots, bedroom photos and videos, alleging that the pastor sent her $10,000 to withdraw her claims and blame a rival pastor.
Through her lawyers, she later demanded N1bn in damages, alleging threats and intimidation after she was arrested and detained by the police.
As the scandal grew, other women also came forward.
Okafor’s former wife, Bessem Okafor, accused him of infidelity, deception and physical assault. Speaking in an interview with YouTuber Aunty Adunni, she said she left him 14 years ago due to shame over his alleged actions.
Another woman, identified as Ebere, said to be a former choir member, claimed her relationship with the pastor began in 2015. She alleged that she had several abortions for him and later had a child after he failed to keep marriage promises.
Days later, another woman accused the cleric of having sexual relations with her and her sister, resulting in pregnancies. She called for a DNA test, claiming she had evidence.
Social media activist Martin Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, shared an audio recording in which a woman, Chidera Okafor, claimed to be the pastor’s daughter and accused him of making sexual advances towards her. Okafor denied the claim in a viral video.
The Lagos State Police Command said it could not act without a formal complaint.
“If there is any, the department handling it would have briefed me. Anyone with a petition can come forward,” the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said.
However, some elderly members of the church defended him.
Ruben Alufe, who said he had been in the church for 20 years, said, “Pastor Okafor is a good man of God. They just want to blackmail him. The allegations are fake.”
Another member said, “Did you hear all these things before he got married? That tells you that what people are saying is not true. They are just looking for money.”
A pastor in the church, who spoke anonymously, said, “There is nothing you do that people will not talk. My pastor said all the things bloggers are saying are lies, and I believe him.”
Meanwhile, Christian leaders have urged caution.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Lagos State, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, said, “Ministers must do as I do and not do as I say because judgment will start in the house of God.”
He added that pastors who genuinely repent could be given another chance.
“If he repents genuinely, his life can become a testimony to others,” Adegbite said.
Also speaking, Archbishop Osazee William said pastors are human and capable of falling but warned ministers to exercise discipline.
“As pastors, you must know your limits and consciously guide yourself so you do not fall victim to your weaknesses,” he said.
