Nigerian Afrobeats singer Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi, popularly known as Bella Shmurda, has alleged that he was defrauded after paying $4 million for a property in Lagos that he later discovered did not belong to the individual who sold it.
The singer made the emotional claim during an Instagram Live session on Tuesday, where he broke down in tears while appealing to Nigerians for help.
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According to Bella Shmurda, the discovery left him devastated because the money represented years of hard work in the music industry.
“Nigeria, I need your help. I’m not doing okay right now. I spent $4 million of my own hard-earned money, only to find out I bought stolen property,” he said.
Bella Shmurda further alleged that the seller disappeared after receiving the payment, making it difficult to recover either the property or the money.
“And now the seller has disappeared. Please, help me. Someone step in. I’ve got nothing left. I worked for years for this. I can’t lose $4 million like that,” he added.
The singer said he had already instructed his legal team to investigate the transaction and determine the next course of action.
“I just contacted my lawyer for further investigation,” he said.
Bella Shmurda did not disclose the identity of the seller, the exact location of the property or when the transaction took place.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and no law enforcement agency has publicly confirmed receiving a formal complaint as of the time of filing this report.
Likewise, no individual connected to the alleged transaction has responded to the claims.
Property disputes involving ownership, forged land documents and multiple sales of the same property remain a recurring challenge in parts of Lagos and other major Nigerian cities.
Legal experts have consistently advised prospective buyers to conduct comprehensive due diligence, including title verification at the appropriate land registry, before completing high-value real estate transactions.
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Bella Shmurda, who rose to prominence with his breakout hit Vision 2020 before collaborating with leading Afrobeats stars, has not indicated whether he intends to pursue civil or criminal proceedings once his lawyer concludes the investigation.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
