Christopher Moriz, a media practitioner, has has revealed that Prosper Chukwuemeka, a property agent known to be defrauding unsuspecting house seekers in Festac Town, Lagos, operated with the backing of the Police.

Speaking with FIJ, Moriz said he paid N700,000 to Chukwuemeka for a ‘vacant apartment’ he advertised in April 2021.

“When I visited him during that period, he told me that a room and parlour self-contained was available. He also told me that the apartment was 70 percent completed,” Moriz said.

“He said securing the place would cost me N400,000 per year and that I am expected to make a two-year payment to him.

‘We Paid Him N1.4m’ — More Victims of Lagos Property Agent Prosper Chukwuemeka Speak

“In addition to the N800,000 he asked for, I was also to pay N200,000 for agreement and commission. In total, he requested that I paid N1,000,000. I however pleaded with him to accept N950,000 and he agreed.”

After both parties reached an agreement, Moriz said he made an advanced payment of N700,000, in three tranches to the agent, between April and May 2021.

“After I made the N700,000 advance payment, the things I noticed afterwards showed that I may not be able to move into the apartment in June as Chukuemeka promised,” Moriz said.

Moriz revealed that despite the worrying signs he noticed, as far as securing the new apartment was concerned, he still felt there was no cause for alarm.

“Because the rent at my former place would not be due until August last year, I felt relaxed. My thought was that I still would be able to move into the new apartment as promised by Chukwuemeka before my stay there expired,” he said.

HOW CHUKWUEMEKA MADE MORIZ HOMELESS

Moriz never got the apartment as promised by Chukwuemeka in June, 2021.

In the end, Moriz was left stranded with his wife and two children when the rent at his former place was due in August.

When he kept on pestering the agent for a refund, he was told to wait until someone else came to pay for the ‘vacant apartment.’

“We had to squat with a relative who lived on the Island when we got chased out by the landlord. Presently, I am squatting in one of the quarters belonging to an organisation. Sadly, the organisation would be moving to a new place by the end of the month and that means I would soon be stranded again,” Moriz said.

Lagos Agent Takes N450,000 Rent But Refuses to Hand Over Keys to House Seeker

He said he would have to borrow money to get another apartment.

POLICEMEN SHIELDING CHUKWUEMEKA

When Moriz visited Chukwuemeka’s office in September to demand for a refund yet again, he was questioned by three mobile policemen he met there.

“When I got there, the policemen asked me if I had an appointment with Chukwuemeka. I was surprised but, eventually, I told them that I was one of his clients. While I was there, I called the agent on the phone and this time, he told me to come back on September 30,” he said.

When he returned to the Chukwuemeka’s office on September 30, he was again queried by the officers he met the last time he visited.

This time however, the agent emerged from his office to speak with him outside.

READ ALSO: On Weekends in Igando, Police Officers ‘Brazenly Create Traffic To Extort Motorists’

“Chukwuemeka told me that his lawyer said I won’t be able to keep up with the house payment since I am paying in bits. I was surprised and reminded him of the agreement we had. I also told him to allow me stay for one year, since the initial payments I hade would cover that period,” said Moriz.

“He disagreed and told me to send my account number so he would make a repayment. When I asked him when he was going to pay, he said I should wait until someone else pays. He also said it would also be fine if I could bring someone to rent the apartment, so I could get my money.”

Just like he did to other house seekers in the past, Chukwuemeka would eventually use the police officers shielding him to threaten Moriz.

CHUKWUEMEKA USED A BUILDING TO DEFRAUD MANY PEOPLE

To confirm his suspicion, Moriz sent four of his friends, on separate occasions, to Chukwuemeka’s office. They were to disguise as house seekers who were desperately in need of apartments.

“When they returned, they all told me that Chukwuemeka said the same house I paid for was available, even after he had collected money from me,” he said.

Lagos Agents Who Scammed Over 100 House Seekers of N60m ‘Working With the Police’

Since then, Chukwuemeka has refused to pick Moriz’s phone calls. 

FIJ made several calls to the agent as well but he did not answer them. He had also not replied to an SMS sent to him at press time.

On April 14, when an FIJ reporter contacted Chukwuemeka to get his reaction on past allegations of fraud made by Michael Precious, Catherine Chinenye and Jubril Abdulsalam, all house seekers, he threatened to send police officers after the reporter.