Apostle Chikere Nwafor, the Lagos-based cleric and founder of Heaven’s Gateway Ministries, has been accused by her ex-husband, Martin Ugbulu, of forgery, financial fraud, and death threats. These accusations stem from a long-running dispute over church funds and jointly owned properties in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters, Martin claims that Nwafor, in collaboration with a surveyor, forged property documents to seize full ownership of a house they jointly built in Amen Estate, Lagos. According to Martin, he was shocked to discover in November 2024 that his name had been omitted from the documents, despite fully funding the house.

Property Fraud in Lagos

Martin alleges that he funded the property alongside Nwafor during their marriage, trusting her completely. “I had no idea she had criminal intentions to rob me of my investments in Nigeria,” Martin said. He claims that when he returned to Nigeria and asked for the house documents, Nwafor showed him a deed with only her name on it. He confronted her about the omission, but she claimed ignorance, and the estate confirmed they had only dealt with her regarding payments.

Martin alleges that Nwafor later enlisted a surveyor to forge the documents for a fee of ₦1.2 million. After several days, he was presented with altered documents. However, Martin now believes the documents were fake.

Alleged Church Fund Mismanagement in the UK

Beyond the Lagos property, Martin accuses Nwafor of diverting church funds in the UK into her personal bank account. Martin says that while managing the ministry in London, Nwafor received £100,000 in deposits from two churches interested in purchasing Heaven’s Gateway’s building, including Church of God Mission. However, when the deals fell through, Martin claims she refused to refund the money.

Martin explains that he helped Nwafor purchase the church building in London and handled all associated mortgage processes. When membership dwindled, Nwafor allegedly insisted they sell the property, leading to two failed transactions. In both cases, the money was reportedly transferred into Nwafor’s personal account, instead of being held in the church’s charity account.

Martin says he personally refunded £30,000 to Church of God Mission but that Nwafor kept the remainder. He also claims that Nwafor falsely reported the property’s rental income, continuing to pocket £10,000 monthly despite the ministry’s financial struggles.

Relationship Conflict and Legal Tensions

Martin’s accusations extend beyond financial fraud. He claims that after confronting Nwafor about her new relationship with a man named Francis Samuel, Nwafor moved out of their home and rented a new place with him. Martin was later accused of attempted murder and cyberbullying, charges he believes were fabricated to silence him.

“I was invited to the Akudo Police Station, where I was accused of attempting to murder her boyfriend. The officer admitted that if the person is still alive after 48 hours, it is not attempted murder,” he said. Martin’s lawyer filed a fundamental human rights suit against Nwafor and the police for harassment.

Martin also claims that he began to feel unsafe and was advised to change the locks on his home after sensing he was being followed. He believes that Nwafor, along with her boyfriend and others, later broke into the house, which further fueled his fears for his life and property.

Fears for His Safety and Property

“I fear for my life,” Martin stated. “They broke into my house with a locksmith, and I’m concerned that if I had been there, something worse could have happened. I have valuable items in the house, and I don’t know if they were taken.”

Cleric’s Silence

When contacted for comment, Apostle Chikere Nwafor did not respond to phone calls or messages, and efforts to obtain her reaction were unsuccessful at the time of publication.