A Federal High Court sitting in Effurun has ordered popular Nigerian social media personality, VeryDarkMan, to pay N30 million in damages to the wife of comedian Mr Jollof, Mrs Esinjemiyotan Uruneyonjuyei Atsepoyi, over defamatory statements made against her.
The ruling follows an online dispute that began in September 2024 between VeryDarkMan and Mr Jollof. During the heated exchange on social media, VeryDarkMan accused Mr Jollof’s wife of engaging in extramarital affairs with politicians and internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo boys, allegedly to help her husband secure a political appointment in Delta State.
Mr Jollof responded to the accusations by criticizing VeryDarkMan, describing him as someone raised in a broken home and claiming he lacked proper upbringing.
Following the allegations, Mrs Esinjemiyotan Uruneyonjuyei Atsepoyi filed a N500 million defamation suit against the social media personality, insisting that the statements made about her were false and damaging to her reputation.
In a judgment delivered on May 13, 2026, and signed by Hon. Justice R. Harriman, the court ruled that VeryDarkMan failed to provide evidence to support his claims. As a result, the court ordered him to pay N30 million in damages for defamation.
The court also directed him to publish an apology to Mrs Atsepoyi in two national newspapers and across all his social media platforms within 14 days, including a clear retraction of the defamatory statements.
In his ruling, Justice Harriman said, “I therefore have no hesitation in holding that the words complained of are defamatory in their natural and ordinary meaning and are actionable per se.
“I find that the Claimant is entitled to general and aggravated damages and an injunction. See DIAMOND BANK v. OKPALA (2016) LPELR-41573(CA) and OBOK & ORS v. AGBOR & ORS (2016) LPELR-41219(CA). Given the wide dissemination of the defamatory material, a retraction and apology are appropriate to restore the Claimant’s reputation.
“Judgment is hereby entered in favour of the Claimant against the defendant as follows: It is declared that the words published by the Defendant concerning the Claimant are defamatory.
“N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) as general damages; N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) as aggravated damages. The Defendant is hereby directed to publish an apology to the Claimant in two national dailies and all his social media handles containing a retraction of the defamatory words contained in the Defendant’s online publication of 15th, 16th, and in the early hours of 19th September, 2024, within 14 days of this judgment.
“The Defendant, by himself, his agents, and/or privies, is hereby restrained from further making any defamatory publication against the Claimant.”
The ruling also restrains VeryDarkMan from making any further defamatory statements about Mrs Atsepoyi while mandating him to publicly retract the earlier allegations.
