Helen Ukpabio, a Nigerian evangelical Christian pastor, is the founder of the Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries. She claims that she can identify children and adults who are possessed with witchcraft spirits, and deliver them from these spirits.
Organisations such as the British Humanist Association (BHA) and the Witchcraft Human Rights and Information Network (WHRIN) have been highly critical of her teachings and methods. Allegations of witchcraft – based on superstition around demonic possession – often result in the abuse of vulnerable people, particularly women. Reports by the UN and other international bodies have found that witch-hunting can lead to children being tortured, abandoned, or even murdered. (The New Humanist has previously reported on this issue). Ukpabio visited London in April to preach and perform exorcisms. The BHA has called for Ukpabio and other witch-hunters to be banned from entering the UK due to the threat they pose to child welfare and the public good.
Now, Ukpabio – who is very wealthy due to her evangelical ministry – is planning to launch a legal claim against the BHA and WHRIN. She is suing for half a billion pounds, over an alleged distinction between being accused of exorcising “Satan” or “Vampires”.
She has advised parents that children "possessed with black, red and vampire witchcraft spirits" are those who "screams at night, cries, is always feverish, suddenly deteriorates in health, puts up an attitude of fear, and may not feed very well." (All normal childhood behaviours). She also said that children who stamp their feet may be “trying to make signs… to communicate with gnomes, the witchcraft spirit in charge of the earth.” Ukpabio claims that the BHA misrepresented her by saying that she attributed these symptoms to Satanic possession (rather than vampiric), damaging her reputation and livelihood to the sum of half a billion pounds.
Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said:
"The fact that she is threatening to launch a legal claim for half a billion pounds over an alleged distinction between being accused of exorcising “Satan” or “Vampires” tells you all you need to know about Mrs Ukpabio. Threats of legal action like this are blatant attempts to silence critics of the harms done by these religious and superstitious beliefs and rituals. Rather than entertaining her vexatious claims in the courts, we believe the UK should be ensuring that Mrs Ukpabio and her ilk are denied entry to our country to protect children from their degrading practices."
Gary Foxcroft, executive director of WHRIN, said that the case should provide the home secretary with “a great opportunity to condemn the practices of such pastors, take concrete action and ensure that justice is served”. Ukpabio has previously (unsuccessfully) sued the WHRIN and other human rights organisations in Nigeria. This will be her first claim in the UK.
