UK Charity Commission Freezes Assets of MFM Ministries.

The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission has frozen the assets of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (MFM), a church founded by Dr. Daniel Olukoya, following findings of financial mismanagement and governance lapses within its UK operations.

In a detailed report released on Monday, POLITICS NIGERIA learned that the commission said the decision followed an official inquiry that uncovered “serious concerns” about how the church’s funds were being managed. The investigation revealed that MFM trustees failed to maintain proper oversight of over 100 bank accounts run independently by local branches across the country.

According to the Commission, the charity’s rapid expansion from a few branches to over 90 nationwide was not matched by the necessary governance systems to ensure financial accountability.

“Branches operated autonomously, opening and managing bank accounts without central authorisation or adequate monitoring,” the report said. “This created substantial risks to charitable funds and led to inaccurate and delayed financial reporting.”

The inquiry also found that some branches had engaged in major financial transactions, including the purchase and leasing of properties, without the knowledge or approval of the main trustees. These irregularities, the Commission said, resulted in “financial losses that could not be fully accounted for.”

As part of its enforcement action, the Commission ordered the immediate freezing of all MFM’s UK assets to prevent further mismanagement. “The Commission has acted decisively to protect the charity’s remaining assets while remedial steps are being implemented,” the statement added.

This is not the first time the Charity Commission has intervened in MFM’s affairs. In 2019, the regulator appointed an interim manager to oversee the church’s financial administration after repeated failures to file annual reports and maintain proper accounting records.

Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade presents her WAFCON medal to MFM Pastor Daniel Olukoya and his wife during a service.

Identity and photo of woman who died inside MFM Prayer City Auditorium circulate online.

A photograph showing the woman who reportedly took her life inside the Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) Prayer City Auditorium has circulated widely on social media, intensifying public scrutiny of the tragic event.

The incident occurred along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and was reported earlier this week by WITHINNIGERIA.

The deceased, identified as 41-year-old Benita Lurk Ikuenobe, was found unresponsive inside the auditorium on the morning of Friday, July 18, 2025.

Church security official Esiere Ekikere, alerted around 7:20 a.m., discovered her lying motionless with a nearly-empty bottle of a suspected pesticide, believed to have been ingested intentionally.

Police officers from the Ogun State Police Command were dispatched to the scene. They documented the scene with photographs before transferring her body to the Real Divine Hospital mortuary, where an autopsy investigation has been scheduled.

The image of the woman inside a religious venue has drawn widespread emotional response. Many social media users expressed shock and sorrow, questioning how such an incident could occur in a church auditorium.

SEE PHOTO BELOW

Benita Lurk Ikuenobe
When contacted for comment, Police PRO Omolola Odutola clarified that the cause of death remains unconfirmed, according to Sahara Reporters.

She emphasized that the incident is still under investigation and discouraged speculation over suicide without forensic confirmation. “The police are yet to establish her actual cause of death,” she said.

This heartbreaking incident underscores the critical need for community mental health awareness, especially in spiritual environments. As authorities continue investigations, the public awaits clarity on whether foul play was involved or if the death was indeed self-inflicted.