Nollywood actress Doris Ogala on Friday, October 30, 2026, knelt before Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos to apologise for disrupting court proceedings during an earlier hearing, expressing regret over her conduct as the court reserved its decision on her bail application until November 6.

The actress, who is facing allegations of cyberstalking, cyberbullying and attempted extortion involving Lagos-based cleric Pastor Chris Okafor, appealed to the judge for forgiveness, promising that her behaviour would not be repeated.

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“I am very sorry, my Lord. I apologise for my bad behaviour. I have never been to prison before and I wasn’t expecting that I would do that,” Ogala told the court.

“I regret my actions and I apologise to my Lord. I tender my apologies wholeheartedly. Sorry, this will never happen again going forward,” she added.

Her apology followed an incident on Wednesday, October 28, when she allegedly shouted and sang inside the courtroom after being remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, disrupting proceedings and forcing the judge to temporarily rise.

Justice Aluko expressed strong displeasure over the incident, explaining that the actress’s behaviour had affected other cases scheduled for hearing that day.

According to the judge, the disruption prevented the court from attending to more than seven other matters on its list.

He disclosed that he had considered committing Ogala for contempt but decided against taking that step.

“She should have been given some form of imprisonment, right, on that day, but I kept my cool and I rose,” the judge said.

Aluko further warned that her conduct could have attracted at least two months’ imprisonment for obstructing court proceedings.

He also questioned why she had chosen to shout and sing in an open courtroom despite the seriousness of the proceedings.

The judge equally expressed disappointment with Ogala’s defence team for failing to acknowledge the incident and apologise before proceeding with arguments on the bail application.

Her lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, also tendered an apology, describing the behaviour as regrettable and insisting that it was inconsistent with his client’s character.

Following the apologies, the court proceeded to hear arguments from both the defence and prosecution on whether the actress should be granted bail.

Abubakar urged the court to release his client, arguing that the prosecution had effectively acknowledged her eligibility for bail by proposing conditions for her possible release in its counter-affidavit.

He maintained that bail conditions should be reasonable and should not unnecessarily restrict the liberty of an accused person who had not been convicted of any offence.

However, prosecution counsel, Tolulope Mokolu, urged the court to impose stringent conditions, particularly restrictions on Ogala’s social media activities.

The prosecution expressed concern that her continued online publications could influence witnesses, interfere with their testimony or undermine the administration of justice.

Mokolu also asked the court to restrict her contact with prosecution witnesses and prevent her from publishing material capable of affecting the proceedings.

After considering the submissions, Justice Aluko reserved his ruling on the bail application until November 6, 2026. Ogala was subsequently returned to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, where she will remain pending the court’s decision.

The development follows the actress’s arraignment on Wednesday, October 28, when the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation brought three charges against her under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

The charges concern alleged cyberstalking, cyberbullying and attempted extortion involving Pastor Chris Okafor. The prosecution alleges that the offences occurred between September 2024 and March 2026.

According to the prosecution, Ogala allegedly published intimate photographs of the cleric on her social media accounts without his consent.

She was also accused of circulating electronic messages and other materials allegedly intended to intimidate, harass and damage his reputation.

The prosecution further alleged that she threatened to continue publishing damaging material unless Okafor compensated her or bought her a house.

Ogala pleaded not guilty to all three charges. The allegations remain before the court and have not been established as facts.

Beyond the bail proceedings, Abubakar indicated that he intended to petition the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, seeking the withdrawal of the criminal charges against his client.

Speaking after Friday’s proceedings, the lawyer argued that the dispute originated from a failed personal relationship and should not have resulted in criminal prosecution.

He described the arrest, investigation and subsequent filing of charges against Ogala as an alleged infringement of her fundamental rights.

Abubakar said the disagreement between the actress and the cleric was essentially a private matter involving former lovers, arguing that civil proceedings would have been a more appropriate avenue for addressing allegations of reputational damage.

He also criticised what he described as the criminalisation of free speech, insisting that Nigerians should be able to express grievances without automatically facing criminal prosecution.

The lawyer maintained that individuals who believe their reputations have been damaged by another person’s statements should ordinarily seek legal redress through civil defamation proceedings.

He further called for a review of provisions of the Cybercrimes Act that, in his view, could be used to restrict legitimate expression.

Abubakar referenced the 2024 amendment to the Cybercrimes Act, which followed years of criticism and legal challenges over the potential misuse of its provisions against journalists, activists and other citizens.

In particular, Section 24 of the original legislation attracted criticism over concerns that its broad wording could be used to suppress freedom of expression.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court had previously ruled in 2020 and 2022 that aspects of the original provision violated protections for freedom of expression under international human rights instruments.

The 2024 amendment subsequently revised parts of the law.

The legal confrontation between Ogala and Okafor followed a highly publicised disagreement that attracted considerable attention on social media towards the end of 2025.

The actress had made allegations concerning an alleged romantic relationship with the cleric, including claims that he had promised to marry her but later proceeded with another marriage.

In December 2025, Okafor publicly apologised to Ogala during a church service, kneeling before his congregation and acknowledging that mistakes had been made.

However, the pastor maintained that not all the allegations made against him were true. Ogala subsequently accepted his apology but disputed his suggestion that her claims were fabricated.

The disagreement later developed into a legal dispute, with the prosecution bringing charges relating to alleged online publications and threats.

The actress’s arraignment on October 28 followed earlier delays in the case, including two previous occasions when she reportedly failed to appear before the court on health grounds in April and June 2026.

With the latest hearing concluded, attention now turns to November 6, when the Federal High Court is expected to deliver its ruling on Ogala’s bail application.