Entertainment
Mr Ibu’s son, daughter arrested for alleged theft of N55m donations
The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday said it had arrested a son and adopted daughter of Mr. John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, for allegedly stealing the ailing actor’s N50m being proceeds of donations to cater to the thespian’s ailing health.
The Force, through its Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Alagbon, in Ikoyi, Lagos State, said the duo of Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu, allegedly conspired to commit the crime.
The family of the ailing thespian revealed in October 2023 that the actor had undergone five surgeries, seeking further treatment abroad while appreciating donations from the actor’s fans.
However, the FCID, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mayegun Amina, on Thursday, said the arrest followed a petition received from Diamond Waves Law on behalf of the actor’s wife, Stella Okafor, alleging that two sons of Mr. Ibu conspired with his adopted daughter, Jasmine, to defraud their father.
The Force disclosed that investigations showed that the thespian’s phone was hacked by the suspects to carry out the crime.
The statement read, “On September 6, 2023, a petition was received from Diamond Waves Law on behalf of Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, wherein one Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Valentine Okafor, both of whom are sons of Mr. John Ikechukwu Okafor (Alias Ibu) and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu, were alleged to have conspired to defraud Mr. Ibu while being on sick bed.
“Investigation into the case established that as part of efforts to fund his medical bills, Mr. Ibu launched a public fund-raising initiative and attracted donations from his fans, entertainment industry players, and other well-spirited members of the public into a bank account, which he publicised and dedicated for the purpose.
“Mr. Ibu’s wife, Mrs. Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, was initially managing the funds to defray the medical bills of Mr. Ibu and sustain the family. However, along the line, the duo of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu manipulated Mrs. Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, took possession of Mr. Ibu’s phone, and hacked into the banking details therein.”
The police stated that the duo allegedly reinstalled the banking app on the phone belonging to the actor and transferred the sum of N55m from the donations for the actor’s medical bill with the intention of using the proceeds to travel abroad.
However, the Force also claimed that it had recovered a sum of N55m allegedly stolen from the actor’s account.
It stated, “They thereafter re-installed the mobile banking applications of Mr. Ibu on the phone of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor preparatory to the perfection of their preconceived fraudulent plans and wiped off the banking applications originally installed on Mr. Ibu’s phone, thereby taking direct and full charge of the banking activities of Mr. Ibu in relation to the funds being donated by members of the public in support of his medicals.
“Through this fraudulent act, Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu started transferring funds from Mr. Ibu’s public fundraising account to Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor’s personal bank, with forensic analysis of their illicit financial dealing establishing that a total of fifty-five million naira (N55m) had been successfully and criminally transferred prior to their arrest and investigation.
“Investigation also unearthed text messages via WhatsApp between Jasmine and Daniel Okafor, detailing stage-by-stage how they conspired and hatched their criminal plans. It was also established that the two suspects, Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu and Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with plans to escape from the country to the UK, where they intended to settle with their proceeds of crime. They already applied for a UK visa in furtherance of this plan prior to their arrest,” the statement added.
The police said the duo had both been charged at the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Yaba, in Charge No. A/06/2024 for conspiracy and stealing.
The statement added, “During investigation, the stolen fifty-five million naira (N55m) was traced to the bank account of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, wherein it was discovered that they had squandered a total of five million naira (N5m) on questionable transactions, while the balance total of fifty million (N50m) has been recovered from him.
“On the strength of evidence, Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu have been charged to the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Yaba, in Charge No. A/06/2024 for conspiracy and stealing.
“They were granted bail in the sum of N15m with two sureties in like sum, while the case was adjourned to March 11, 2024. Meanwhile, the case file has been forwarded to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.”
The Ibu family had reportedly engaged in a feud as the thespian’s wife alleged that his adopted daughter, Jazmine, had hijacked the money donated by good-willing Nigerians to the actor.
In a lengthy post, the actor’s wife wrote in part, “Recently, there have been some malicious lies being peddled against me on social media as masterminded by Jazmine Chioma Okeke, who wants to make me an outsider in my own home, but God forbid. I will address Jazmine’s excessive interference in my family affairs and other related matters when the time is right. For now, my husband’s health is most important to me.
Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has revealed that his wife was aware of his romantic relationships with some actresses in the industry and treated them cordially.
The actor made the disclosure in an interview on the Africanalist Podcast, where he spoke about his personal life and marriage.
Quadri said some of the actresses he dated eventually became friends with his wife, Sadiat Adenike Quadri. According to him, the women would sometimes approach her and share gossip about his relationships with other female colleagues, even though they themselves were involved with him.
“It got to a stage, I won’t mention the ladies’ names in the industry. They would become friends with my wife and start giving gossip to my wife that I am dating so so so in the industry,” he said.
He added that jealousy sometimes arose among the women. Some of those he was dating reportedly went to his home out of jealousy, only to find that his wife already knew about the relationships.
“And there were some of them that we were dating who went home out of jealousy. Meanwhile, my wife would say she was aware already and she doesn’t fight them because of that,” Quadri said.
The actor further disclosed that some actresses occasionally spent the night at his house when movie productions ended late. He said his wife knew about the relationships and still provided food and care for them.
“Sometimes when production ends late, they would sleep in my house. And my wife is aware I am dating them, she would still feed them and everything,” he stated.
Quadri has been married to Sadiat since 1989. The couple have children and grandchildren.
Actress and filmmaker Fisayomi Amodemaja, popularly known as Fisayo Abebi, has urged young actors to build strong personal brands and rely on their talent rather than fame or social media visibility for a sustainable career in Nollywood.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Scoop, Abebi, who began acting as a child before moving into filmmaking and production, said having a distinct identity was essential for anyone seeking longevity in the industry.
“As an actor, you should have a brand. You should have something that makes you different. Your talent should be able to speak for you wherever your name cannot speak for you,” she said.
She also stressed the need for dedication and readiness to handle the demands of the profession.
“Any young actor coming into the industry has to know that it is time-consuming, and you have to be fully ready to be diligent and ready for the stress,” Abebi added.
The actress reflected on her own experiences, noting that growing up in the spotlight came with pressure, particularly from being recognised for a character she played as a child.
She credited her family and friends with helping her navigate the attention and remain grounded. Her mother, she said, played a key role by helping her understand that she was separate from the character audiences associated her with.
Abebi also spoke about the challenges of combining her acting career with university education, describing it as stressful at times.
“Sometimes I might have to refund or sometimes I might have to go to the set after finishing my exam. So, that can be very stressful,” she said.
She noted that her journey in the industry had taught her to take risks and build confidence in herself.
Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has revealed that she spent several months struggling with severe pain and mobility challenges that left her dependent on a wheelchair.
The actress shared the details in a video posted on her Instagram page on Saturday as she marked her 25th birthday, which she described as her “Silver Jubilee.”
Appearing in a wheelchair, Daniels explained that her prolonged absence from social media was due to the health difficulties.
“I know many of you may be surprised seeing me in a wheelchair. Well, welcome to another chapter of my life,” she said.
She stated that the problem began as a minor issue but gradually became more serious, eventually limiting her freedom to move around as she pleased.
“For several months now, I lost my freedom to move around as I please. It started as something minor, very minor, but eventually led to this,” Daniels said.
According to her, the condition took a major turn after the last public gathering she hosted, a Children’s Day carnival. She said she underwent repeated medical tests during the period and joked that she had started calling herself a “lab rat.”
“The pain became excruciating. Sometimes I find myself walking well, and sometimes I just can’t move. I cried,” she added.
Despite the challenges, the actress said there had been significant developments in her recovery, which encouraged her to share the update publicly.
“Well, me sitting here today, in front of this camera, sharing this with y’all, it’s because there’s been some really significant developments in my recovery. And I say, thank you, Lord,” she said.
Daniels did not disclose a specific diagnosis or the nature of the treatment she is receiving. She expressed gratitude to God and prayed for calm as she entered a new phase of her life.
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