Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned social media influencer, Okoro Nkiruka Blessing, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before a Lagos Special Offences Court over an alleged N69.15 million fraud.
EFCC disclosed on Tuesday that the influencer was arraigned before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on a fresh two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
According to the agency, 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, and dishonestly converted the sum to her personal use.
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.
But, 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, and she pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After 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 another 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.