WE have just been informed by Leo Igwe, Executive Director of the Nigerian Humanist Movement, that the lunatic head of the Liberty Gospel Church, Helen Ukpabio, failed for the second time to appear in the Federal High Court in Calabar to press a lawsuit she initiated against him and a number of others – and the case was struck out.
Leo Igwe, pictured last year in London
Ukpabio, whose church had been carrying out a campaign of terror against “child witches”, demanded 200 billion naira ($.1.3 million dollars) in damages after Igwe and others staged seminars and conferences to oppose her witchcraft-related child abuse campaigns.
She, and several of her church members claimed that gatherings organised by the Nigerian Humanist Movement and other child rights groups infringed their rights to spread the gospel.
At one of the conferences last year, church members disrupted proceedings, and assaulted Igwe.
In an email to the Freethinker, Igwe said:
Today [Feb 4] the Federal High Court struck out the case brought against me and other child rights campaigners including the government of Akwa Ibom state. Last November Ukpabia and some of her church members went to court seeking to enforce their rights to believe in God, Satan and witchcraft. They asked the court to order us to award them damages for ‘unlawful and unconstitutional infringement of their rights’.
For the second time, Helen and her lawyers were not in court. So the lawyer leading the defence team, Barrister Madaki asked the court to strike out the case due lack of diligent prosecution. And the court granted his request.
Mad evangelist Helen Ukpabio
He added:
The striking out of this case is a welcome development. It is a victory for justice, human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria. This decision by the court is a vindication of the child rights campaigners and the great work they are doing to save the lives of children abused and abandoned in the name of witchcraft in Nigeria.
It is a clear evidence that Helen Ukpabio and her church members have no case.
They instituted this court action to stop their arrest and prosecution for the attack on us on July 29 in Calabar.
Nigerian Humanist Movement and its partner groups will continue to work and campaign to eradicate all forms of human rights abuses in the name of witchcraft.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 5th, 2010 at 11:02 am
Excellent news. I hope she will have to pay hefty court fees.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:17 am
“At one of the conferences last year, church members disrupted proceedings, and assaulted Igwe.”
Excellent, spreading the word of love and peace of Jesus Christ — by force, if necessary.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Igwe came to the attention of Anonymous by blogging about Scientology’s work in Africa. He is a good man. It hurts when religious groups resort to legal intimidation to try to silence valid criticism. Our thoughts are with him.
February 5th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
I am going to keep this short because this website has been puking my posts all day.
Any victory against mindless superstition is a good thing. But, what comes to mind is how atheists often dismiss secular humanists and agnostics as being potential partners in goal to enlighten society. While it’s true that some do not share a realization of the horror that organized religion is, there are some who are real freethinkers. I would know, I consider myself agnostic.
NeoWolfe
February 5th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
$1.3 damages, Barry? “Shurely shome mishtake?”
February 5th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
I’ve seen this on TV where a childs’ mother desperately tries to convince the local xian loonies that their child is not a witch.
Picture the scence – a pleading mother and her terrified eight-year-old confronted by a gang of adult males brandishing machetes. What a way for anyone to die let alone a child. If this happened at war the perps would end up at The Hague. It seems islam doesn’t have the monopoly on barbarity.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7JzSYnSG9s
http://culturekitchen.com/search/node/leo+igwe
February 5th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Very good news; gratifying to see that its not just the fundies in this country who come a cropper with their attempts to ruin people and wield spiritual power via the courts.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
@ Barriejohn. Big mishtake, now corrected. Shit happens – notably before the first four coffees and fags in the morning!
February 5th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KND44ZR5CKE
February 5th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
This would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic! I have asked before whether God, being well past the age of qualifying for a bus pass now, is extremely deaf, as all these Pentecostalists seem to think they have to shout in a very loud voice when communicating with him!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUaE2tIPLbk