BBNaija Lockdown star Neo Akpofure has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to a social media user who accused him of rape on X, demanding a public retraction and apology or face a defamation lawsuit.
The accusation was made by Ms. Arikan Udoka, who operates the X handle “the violently wicked (@notralia),” on February 17, 2026. In her now-deleted post, Udoka alleged that Akpofure raped her during their time at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), claiming the assault took place after she visited his apartment to confront him over being in a relationship—a condition she said had been agreed upon in their arrangement.
She wrote, “@NeoAkpofure is also a rapist. He raped me in UNICAL… We were casual sex buddies with the clause that he wasn’t in a relationship. I found out he was and went to his apartment to confront him. So he raped me. Neo comes and says you didn’t do it.”
Responding swiftly, Akpofure’s solicitors, E.L. Akpofure, SAN & Co., issued a formal letter dated February 18, 2026, signed by Chief Victor O. Idiapho, describing the allegation as “entirely false, malicious, and defamatory.”
The lawyers argued that Udoka’s post was self-contradictory, noting that she had, in the same breath, admitted to a prior consensual relationship with their client. “It is clear from the above content that you admitted that you and our client were engaged in a casual, consensual sexual relationship. Notwithstanding this admission, you falsely accused our client of rape,” the letter read.
The legal team maintained that the allegation portrays Akpofure as “a sexual offender and a criminal,” causing him “public odium, reputational injury, emotional distress, and severe personal and professional damage,” and described the post as “actionable libel under Nigerian law” that exposes Udoka to civil liability and potential criminal sanctions.
Within the 48-hour window, the solicitors demanded that she immediately delete the post from X and any other platform where it may have been shared; an unequivocal public retraction stating the allegations were false; a public apology acknowledging the statement was “untrue, misleading, and injurious”; and a written undertaking to refrain from making further defamatory statements. Failure to meet these demands, the lawyers warned, would trigger immediate legal proceedings “without further notice.”
The allegation emerged at a particularly charged moment, coinciding with widespread public discourse on sexual violence sparked by a separate viral claim from TikTok user Mirabel (@mirab351), whose testimony ignited the hashtag #StopRapingWomen and prompted many Nigerians to share their own experiences of assault.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Former BBNaija housemate Neo Akpofure is fighting back against a rape allegation made on X by Ms. Arikan Udoka, who claimed he raped her at UNICAL following a fallout over their casual relationship.
Through his solicitors, Akpofure has dismissed the allegation as false and defamatory, demanding a public retraction, apology, and written undertaking within 48 hours—or face a defamation lawsuit. Critically, his legal team argues that Udoka’s own words undermine her accusation, as she simultaneously admitted to a prior consensual relationship.
The allegation, now deleted, emerged amid Nigeria’s broader #StopRapingWomen conversation—making this case a flashpoint at the intersection of celebrity, justice, and the complex realities of sexual assault discourse.
