How Chioma Okeke of 'Luxury Estates by Solo' Blocked Client After Receiving N530,000 for Apartments

Made Ajayi told The Press that he had learned about Okeke's real estate business on Instagram and sent her a message on WhatsApp. He added that he paid for and booked the apartment for his uncle, who intended to travel to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.

When they spoke on WhatsApp, he inquired about the prices of shortlet apartments in Victoria Island and Ikeja. In a screenshot of their messages on WhatsApp obtained by The Press , Okeke told Ajayi the total cost of both apartments was N580,000.

"The plan was for my uncle to spend two days in the shortlet in Victoria Island in March and another two days in the one in Ikeja in April,ÔÇØ Ajayi told The Press .

She informed him he would pay a caution fee of N50,000 twice, amounting to N100,000. While making payments, Ajayi sent N530,000 to a Moniepoint Bank account named "Solo Shortstay and LifetyleÔÇØ. He explained to Okeke that he only paid N50,000 as a caution fee and would pay the balance of N50,000 later.

After the transaction was made, they agreed on a date for inspection. But on Friday, March 22, Okeke told Ajayi that the owner of the shortlet in Victoria Island had given it to another client and that the payment was nonrefundable.

"I got a message from her on WhatsApp around 10 pm on Friday, March 22, that the apartment in Victoria Island was no longer available. This was where I started getting suspicious,ÔÇØ Ajayi told The Press .

"She was not planning to send a refund for the shortlet in Victoria Island. The initial plan was for my uncle to spend two days in Victoria Island and another two days in the shortlet in Ikeja.ÔÇØ

Okeke also sent Ajayi a message on WhatsApp, saying the "solution for his dilemmaÔÇØ was for him to spend four days in the Ikeja shortlet, as opposed to spending two days in Victoria Island and another two days in Ikeja, as they had initially agreed.

Ajayi told The Press that Okeke no longer responded to messages on WhatsApp that he sent to her personal and business accounts.

His uncle arrived in Nigeria on March 28 and was meant to lodge himself in the apartments he had paid Okeke for, but he had to forgo this and his money.

Ajayi added that he had to rent another shortlet for his uncle to stay because Okeke had blocked him.

On March 25, The Press called Okeke, but her number was switched off. That same day, The Press sent her messages on WhatsApp and Instagram, but she has yet to respond.

The Press noticed she was online on Instagram on March 30, but she didn't respond to our message. On Wednesday, The Press called again, but her line was busy. She called back with a private number, introduced herself and ended the call while this reporter was asking questions.

FIJ