LAGOS, Nigeria — A Lagos-based cleric and church founder, Apostle Chikere Nwafor of Heaven’s Gateway Ministries, is facing a series of grave allegations from her former husband, Martin Ugbulu, who claims she forged property documents, diverted church funds for personal use, and orchestrated actions that left him fearing for his life amid a prolonged dispute spanning Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Speaking in a detailed account to SaharaReporters, Ugbulu alleged that the dispute centers on jointly owned properties, church finances, and a breakdown of trust that he said escalated into intimidation and legal harassment. The accusations, which Nwafor has not publicly responded to, raise broader questions about transparency and governance within religious organizations that operate across borders.
Ugbulu told SaharaReporters that the conflict intensified after he discovered that his name had been removed from ownership documents for a house the couple jointly built at Amen Estate in Lagos, despite his claim that he fully co-funded the project. He said he only became aware of the omission when he returned to Nigeria in November 2024, months after his former wife had traveled ahead of him.
“I trusted her completely because we were married. In marriage, one plus one is one,” Ugbulu said in comments published by SaharaReporters. “I had no idea she had criminal intentions to rob me of my investments in Nigeria.”
According to Ugbulu, Nwafor allegedly worked with a surveyor to alter or forge documents that listed her as the sole owner of the Lagos property. He said estate officials later confirmed that they dealt exclusively with Nwafor during payments and did not verify whether he had been compensated for his share.
The property dispute, Ugbulu said, was only one part of a larger pattern of alleged financial misconduct tied to Heaven’s Gateway Ministries, which operated in London before shifting focus to Nigeria. He told SaharaReporters that while managing the church’s affairs in the UK, Nwafor allegedly collected at least £100,000 in deposits from prospective buyers interested in purchasing the church building, including Church of God Mission, without refunding the funds when the transactions collapsed.
Ugbulu said he personally handled the mortgage process for the London property and later suggested selling it after church membership declined. He recounted that Church of God Mission, linked to the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, paid a £50,000 holding deposit through its London-based pastor, Obinna Madubuko.
“Because we were a registered charity, such funds should have been kept with the agent or paid into the church’s charity account,” Ugbulu told SaharaReporters. “Instead, she bullied the agent into transferring the money into her personal UK bank account.”
When the sale failed due to mortgage issues, Ugbulu said Nwafor insisted the entire deposit be forfeited. He said he personally refunded £30,000 to the church, while alleging that Nwafor refused to return the remaining balance.
He further alleged that a second prospective buyer, introduced by a Ghanaian pastor identified as Richard of Winners Chapel in London, paid another £50,000, which he said was also deposited into Nwafor’s personal account. Ugbulu claimed the buyer later requested a refund after discovering planning restrictions tied to the building’s use.
“She misled him about how easy it was to convert the building’s planning use,” Ugbulu said, adding that he had worked directly with Bexley Council to navigate zoning restrictions. According to his account to SaharaReporters, the buyer eventually withdrew and sought repayment, which he said was never made.
Ugbulu alleged that both deposits were taken to Nigeria and that no refunds were issued. He also accused Nwafor of misrepresenting rental income from the London property to church trustees, claiming she told them tenants were paying £6,000 monthly when the actual figure was £10,000, which he said went directly to her.
Beyond financial claims, Ugbulu described what he characterized as intimidation and misuse of law enforcement after their relationship deteriorated further in 2025. He told SaharaReporters that upon returning to Nigeria in August 2025, he discovered Nwafor was in a relationship with another man, which he said led to tension and eventual police involvement.
He said he was later summoned to Akudo Police Station, where he learned he was being accused of attempted murder and cyberbullying—allegations he said were unfounded and designed to silence him. Ugbulu said his lawyer advised that the legal actions amounted to harassment, prompting him to file a fundamental human rights suit against Nwafor and the police.
Ugbulu also told SaharaReporters that he feared for his safety after noticing what he described as surveillance and suspicious activity around his residence. His concerns escalated, he said, when Nwafor allegedly returned to the property with a locksmith and several men and forced entry.
“My fear is this: if I had been there, what would have happened to me?” he said. “My life is in danger.”
As of publication, Apostle Chikere Nwafor did not respond to calls or messages seeking her reaction, SaharaReporters reported. No formal charges have been announced, and the allegations remain unproven.
The dispute highlights the legal and ethical complexities that can arise when religious institutions operate across jurisdictions with limited oversight. Analysts say cases like this underscore the need for stronger accountability mechanisms for faith-based organizations, particularly those registered as charities, where personal and institutional finances often intersect.
While the claims continue to unfold, the outcome may carry significant implications not only for the individuals involved but also for public trust in religious leadership and nonprofit governance in Nigeria and the diaspora.
SaharaReporters
