The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission remanded social media influencer Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, widely known as Blessing CEO, in custody across three simultaneous fraud prosecutions in Lagos courts this week, with the combined alleged sum in the charges now exceeding N118 million, making her one of the most high-profile EFCC defendants of the year.
The EFCC alleged in the first case, filed before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, that Blessing CEO obtained N36 million from a victim between July 14 and 17, 2024, under the false pretence of securing a six-bedroom duplex in Lekki, Lagos. Justice D.I. Dipeolu granted her bail of N10 million with two sureties in that matter and adjourned the case to June 22, 2026, for continuation of trial.
In the second case before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, the EFCC alleged she induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to pay N69.15 million for a five-year lease on a Lekki property she did not own, converting the funds for personal use. Justice Oshodi remanded her in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter to July 16, 2026, for her bail application.
Third Case Adds N13m Allegation
A third charge, also before a Lagos court, alleged that approximately N13 million was obtained under false pretences involving a property transaction, bringing the total alleged fraud across all three cases to over N118 million. The EFCC said it had identified multiple victims across the different schemes and was building a comprehensive case to present when proceedings advance to the trial stage.
Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty to all charges across all three cases. Her legal team maintained that she intended to contest every count and that the prosecution would be unable to establish the necessary elements of fraud at trial. However, the sheer volume of simultaneous prosecutions has drawn widespread public attention and generated intense debate on Nigerian social media about the nature of the allegations and the conduct of public figures who leverage large followings.
Furthermore, the EFCC said the cases illustrated a growing pattern of fraud enabled by social media platforms, where individuals use their follower base to create an appearance of credibility that they then exploit in financial transactions. The commission said it was committed to investigating and prosecuting all such cases regardless of the public profile of the defendant. Still, civil liberties advocates warned that the heavy-handed use of remand orders against defendants awaiting trial must be balanced against constitutional presumption of innocence. Notably, the EFCC itself had acknowledged that remand facilities were overcrowded in arguments before one of the judges during the week. Consequently, the commission faces criticism from two directions simultaneously, from those who say it must act harder against social media fraud and from those who say it must improve its treatment of defendants during the pre-trial period.
EFCC Arraigns Air Peace Crew Member Over Identity Scam
In a separate EFCC development, an Air Peace crew member was arraigned for allegedly running a fake identity scam targeting fans, collecting money under the false pretence of providing access to celebrities and high-profile individuals. In addition, the commission confirmed it was pursuing its appeal against the interim injunction that had been used to stall one of its ongoing investigations. As a result, the EFCC’s enforcement activity in Lagos remained at an exceptionally high level in the days surrounding Democracy Day.
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