Senior pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre Bolaji Idowu has dismissed allegations linking him to fraudulent real estate activities and money laundering.
Addressing his congregation, he described the claims as baseless and misleading.
Reports surfaced on Tuesday alleging that Idowu had been detained by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja over suspected involvement in real estate fraud. A police source reportedly stated that the pastor, known for his Next Level Prayers programme, was under investigation for fraudulent dealings and laundering large sums of money. The reports also suggested that his release followed the intervention of prominent Christian leaders.
Responding during Wednesday’s morning prayer session, Idowu denied the accusations, stating, “I do not have any property in Nigeria. The only property I have in Nigeria is the one bequeathed to me.”
He clarified that he neither owns nor transacts in real estate within the country.
Idowu also refuted claims that billions of naira were funnelled into his accounts, emphasising the transparency of his financial records.
“Someone said I received billions into my account. My accounts are public, you can check if I have ever received billions in them. It is just a lot of things going on in the press, but this is not the forum to address that,” he stated.
Expressing surprise at the allegations, Idowu shared that he learned about the claims through the media. “As you are reading them, I am also reading them,” he said.