The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned social media influencer, Okoro Blessing, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before a Lagos Special Offences Court over an alleged N69.15 million fraud.
The anti-graft agency disclosed on Tuesday that the influencer was arraigned before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, on a fresh two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
According to the EFCC, Blessing CEO allegedly obtained N69.15 million from Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited by falsely claiming ownership of a property located at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, which she purportedly leased to the company for five years.
The commission also accused her of dishonestly converting the sum to her personal use.
Count one reads: “That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA, on or about March 21, 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to confer a benefit of N69,150,000 (Sixty-Nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on you under the representation that the property located at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, belonged to you and was leased to the company for a period of five years, a representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(2) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.”
Count two reads: “That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA, on or about March 21, 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N69,150,000 (Sixty-Nine Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), being the property of Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited, thereby committing an offence of stealing contrary to Section 280(2) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie, urged the court to proceed with the arraignment, arguing that the defendant had been duly served with the charge.
Defence counsel, Nkama Nneka, however, told the court that service of the charge had only recently been effected.
Justice Oshodi ruled that the arraignment should proceed in accordance with the law, after which the charges were read to the defendant.
Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following her plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in EFCC custody pending her scheduled arraignment before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on June 10, 2026, in another alleged fraud case.
The judge subsequently remanded her in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter until July 16, 2026, for hearing of her bail application and commencement of trial.
In a related development, Justice Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday granted Blessing CEO bail in the sum of N10 million in a separate alleged N36 million fraud case.
The court ordered that she provide two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a family member.
The sureties are required to submit proof of employment, Bank Verification Number, National Identification Number, valid phone numbers, international passports, tax clearance certificates for the last two years and six passport photographs.
The influencer had earlier been arraigned by the EFCC on a separate two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing involving N36 million.
Source: Punch
