The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, arraigned social media influencer, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged ₦69.15 million fraud.
Nkiruka was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
At the commencement of proceedings, EFCC prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie, urged the court to proceed with the arraignment, stating that the defendant had been duly served with the charge. However, defence counsel, Nkama Nneka, informed the court that service had only recently been effected.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi held that the arraignment should proceed in line with legal procedure, after which the charges were read to the defendant.
Count one alleged that the defendant, on or about March 21, 2025, in Lagos, induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to pay her ₦69,150,000 on the representation that a property located at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, belonged to her and was available for a five-year lease, a claim she allegedly knew to be false, contrary to Section 1(2) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.
Count two accused her of dishonestly converting the same sum, being property of Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited, to her personal use, contrary to Section 280(2) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Following her plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand her in EFCC custody, noting that she was also scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, on June 10, 2026, in a separate fraud case.
Justice Oshodi ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter until July 16, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.
In a related development, Justice Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, on the same day granted the defendant bail in another ₦36 million fraud case in the sum of ₦10 million, with two sureties in like sum.
The court directed that one surety must be a family member with verifiable employment, and both sureties are required to present Bank Verification Number (BVN), National Identification Number (NIN), valid telephone numbers, international passports, tax clearance certificates for the past two years, and six passport photographs.
The defendant had earlier been arraigned on a two-count charge by the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, also bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
