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Alleged N1.3b Fraud: Why I cried out — Peter Okoye

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Nigerian music star, Peter Okoye, also known as Mr P, has spoken again about the alleged betrayal and financial misappropriation by his elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye, saying it took him over two decades to speak up — and the delay nearly cost him everything.

Just hours after testifying before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday, Mr P, in an X statement, shared a deeply personal post about enduring years of silence under the guise of family loyalty.

“Don’t let ‘family’ be the reason you’re drowning in silence. I did — for over 20 years plus. And it almost cost me everything,” Peter wrote. “But now I know better — love doesn’t manipulate, loyalty doesn’t betray, and family does not steal from you. Family that steals and breaks you isn’t family at all.”

The 43-year-old singer continued, “A real family doesn’t drain you, shame you, discriminate against you, or ignore your pain. My sanity matters. My mental health is a priority. If it costs my mental health, then it’s too expensive.”

Don’t let ‘family’ be the reason you’re drowning in silence. I did — for over 20 years plus. And it almost cost me everything. But now I know better — love doesn’t manipulate, loyalty doesn’t betray, and family does not steal from you. Family that steals and breaks you isn’t…

— Mr Psquare (@PeterPsquare) April 15, 2025

See also  Family feud: How Jude Okoye, wife diverted N1.3bn Psquare funds, Peter tells court

P-Square Royalties, Tampered Records

On Monday, at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Peter alleged that Jude had covertly registered Northside Music Limited to collect and control digital royalties from their group, P-Square, without the knowledge or consent of its members.

Peter, appearing before Justice Alexander Owoeye, said he only discovered the company while investigating royalty discrepancies years after the group’s initial split in 2017. He revealed that the company was registered under Jude’s name and his wife’s — with her holding 80% ownership.

“All our earnings from P-Square were funnelled into accounts controlled solely by Jude,” Peter claimed. “From 2017 to 2021, when we were apart, I had no access to anything. Jude was the only signatory,” he added.

The singer further alleged that backend royalty data had been manipulated, significantly reducing the value of their catalogue. “What used to bring in $8,000 per month was now reduced to about $500. When I asked for financial records, I was told my money was with people in South Africa,” he stated.

According to him, this lack of transparency cost them not just revenue but also business opportunities. “I wasn’t even asking for the money — just access to our data,” Peter explained.

Suspicious of foul play, he consulted lawyer Festus Keyamo, SAN (now Aviation Minister), who suggested a revenue-sharing formula. When that failed, he hired another lawyer, Mr Afolabi, and submitted a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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Northside Music, Property Dealings

One of the charges levelled against Jude and Northside Music Ltd. is the alleged purchase of an Ikoyi property worth ₦850 million, using funds suspected to be proceeds of crime — a violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Another charge accuses Jude of converting over $1 million through a Bureau De Change, allegedly using Nigerian bank accounts to conceal the origin of the funds. The EFCC claims that Jude’s actions show a pattern of deliberate financial concealment. He has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.

Peter said he discovered more “red flags” when potential buyers expressed interest in acquiring P-Square’s music catalogue in 2022. The resulting checks revealed tampered backend data, previously hidden transactions, and dual aggregator connections — both for P-Square and Jude’s company.

Peter is expected to be cross-examined when the trial continues on 4 June.

Background

Jude’s legal troubles began after his younger brother, Peter, filed a petition with the EFCC accusing him of mismanaging digital royalties from their former music group, P-Square.

On 26 February, the EFCC alleged that Jude had dishonestly converted funds meant for Peter, including large sums in dollars and pounds from companies like Lex Records Limited, Kobalt Music, and Mtech Limited. These payments were said to be royalties earned from P-Square’s digital music catalogue.

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Jude is now standing trial alongside his company, Northside Music Limited, on a seven-count charge of money laundering. One of the charges alleges that in 2022, he and his company used money suspected to be from illegal sources to purchase a luxury property in Ikoyi, Lagos, worth ₦850 million. The charge states that Jude “did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos… which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act.”

Another charge accuses him of converting $1,019,762.87 through a Bureau De Change and transferring the funds into several Nigerian bank accounts in an effort to hide their true origin. According to the EFCC, this was done “with the aim of disguising or concealing the illicit origin of the funds.”

The EFCC maintains that these actions violate the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Jude has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.

The long-running conflict between the Okoye brothers became public again in August 2024 when Paul Okoye, also known as Rudeboy, confirmed that P-Square had split permanently. The group, which began in 1999 and dominated the Nigerian pop scene for over a decade, first parted ways in 2017 before briefly reuniting in 2021. However, that reconciliation was short-lived due to ongoing disputes over royalties and digital rights.

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Charly Boy celebrates daughter’s engagement to female partner

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Former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Charles Oputa, better known as Charly Boy, has celebrated the engagement of his daughter, Adaeze, to her female partner.

The popular musician, also famously known as Area Fada, shared a video from the engagement ceremony on his Instagram page, describing Adaeze and her partner as his “beautiful Princess and her Husband.”

“Folks, wish dem well for me,” he wrote.

Adaeze also announced the engagement in a separate Instagram post, sharing a photograph of herself with her partner.

“WE’RE ENGAGED!” she wrote, using the hashtag #mrsandmrs.

She described the engagement as the beginning of a lifetime together, expressing excitement about their future.

“Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, growth, and making beautiful memories together. I can’t wait for everything God has in store for us. Forever sounds even sweeter with you,” she added.

The announcement has attracted mixed reactions from social media users.

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Nigerian-British social media influencer dies after $9,000 penis enlargement procedure in Thailand

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Igho Ubiribo, a Nigerian-British businessman and social media influencer, has reportedly died after undergoing a penis enlargement procedure during a luxury trip to Thailand.

According to findings from an inquest in the United Kingdom, 43-year-old Ubiribo died after the cosmetic treatment triggered a fatal pulmonary embolism.

The businessman, who was also known as “Tiny”, “Denisi” and “Ego”, was on holiday in Bangkok with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, when he decided to undergo the procedure.

Reports from the inquest revealed that doctors injected about 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine into his penis at an unnamed clinic in Thailand in March.

After the procedure, Ubiribo and his wife reportedly returned to their Marriott hotel, where they went for a massage.

It was during the massage that he complained of chest pain before collapsing and losing consciousness.

He was rushed to Sukhumvit Hospital, where he was initially able to respond to medical staff.

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His wife reportedly informed doctors that he had recently undergone penis filler injections, prompting concerns that the procedure may have been linked to his condition.

Medical personnel suspected a pulmonary embolism and recommended further scans, but Ubiribo reportedly lost consciousness before the examination could be completed.

Doctors later transferred him to intensive care, where attempts were made to revive him through prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

He was pronounced dead in the early hours of March 6.

A postmortem examination conducted in the UK later reportedly found material in Ubiribo’s lungs consistent with the hyaluronic acid used during the penis filler procedure.

Pathologist John du Parcq told the inquest that the substance discovered matched the material injected during the cosmetic treatment.

He said the findings supported the conclusion that Ubiribo suffered a pulmonary embolism caused by the procedure.

The coroner, Jean Harkin, subsequently ruled that the businessman’s death was caused by a pulmonary embolism linked to the cosmetic injection.

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A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot or other material blocks a blood vessel supplying the lungs, potentially causing sudden breathing difficulties, heart strain and death.

During the inquest, information from Ubiribo’s doctor in London showed that he had previously undergone joint surgeries and had been described as pre-diabetic and suffering from gout.

However, his doctor reportedly said he had no other major medical conditions.

Penis fillers containing hyaluronic acid are marketed as a non-surgical option for increasing girth, but medical experts have warned that injectable cosmetic procedures can carry serious risks if complications occur.

Ubiribo was known for showcasing his luxury lifestyle on social media, where he had about 185,000 Instagram followers.

Reports said he owned a home in Los Angeles valued at about $1.1 million and a London apartment reportedly worth around $600,000.

He married Zimbabwean fashion designer Danielle Simba Allen in a lavish ceremony in 2022.

Following his death, Ubiribo was buried in London in a gold coffin, with reports claiming the funeral arrangement cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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Afrobeats singer Davido, who was described as a childhood friend of the businessman, attended the funeral and paid tribute to him.

The case has renewed attention on the potential dangers associated with cosmetic procedures involving injectable fillers, after medical evidence linked the treatment to the fatal complication.

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Help locate my husband! 68-year-old British woman cries out as 31-year-old Nigerian lover disappears after arriving UK

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For 68-year-old British citizen, Dawn Ottewell, it was literally love at first sight after she hooked up with 31-year-old Nigerian, Bright Emokpae on a popular dating App, Tinder.

But what began as a love story conceived in heaven and consummated on earth has ended in heartbreak and a desperate search for answers.

At the beginning,  Dawn, who obviously was consumed by love, quickly made efforts to facilitate Emokpae’s movement to the United Kingdom after their wedding.

But soon after he arrived in the UK on a spousal visa Emokpae disappeared into thin air. At the beginning, Dawn probably believed her new husband had simply stepped out and would be back soon.

But it soon dawned on her that new husband wouldn’t be coming back any time soon.

In a story published in the UK Sun, the love-struck 68-year-old said she met the Edo State born Bright when she was at the lowest ebb in 2021 and he brightened her life with love.

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At the time, Bright Emokpae was reportedly a student in Cyprus and Dawn went on a visit. The couple eventually got married in 2022.

In 2023 Bright was in Nigeria to complete formalities for his visa to the UK courtesy of papers filed by Dawn and he relocated thereafter.

Shortly after his arrival, Dawn claimed that Bright became withdrawn and was always asking for money from her and added nothing to the sustenance of the home.

The pair separated but reunited in October 2023. According to Dawn, Bright reconciled with her because she  received a £63,000 settlement following a botched NHS prolapse operation. But he bolted from their home once again.

Not willing to put up with Emokpae’s flight from home any more, Dawn wants a divorce but her man cannot be located to sign the papers with Dawn speculating that he may have relocated to Scotland.

“He’s done a runner and is refusing to sign the divorce papers because I believe he wants to cling on to his spouse visa,” she said.

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But Dawn’s main worry is that if she dies before the divorce papers are signed Bright could inherit her estate. “My biggest fear is that I’ll die before this is sorted out and he’ll run off with the money my three children should inherit,” she said.

She says she feels Bright simply used her to get into the UK and she’s appealing for help to locate him.

“I feel I’m being used,” Ottewell said.

She added, “I would advise people to be very careful who they marry, especially when the person is from abroad, because a lot of them are just doing it for a visa, and then they disappear.”

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