Court remands Blessing CEO in EFCC custody over alleged N36m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the remand of social media influencer Okoro Nkiruka, known as Blessing CEO, over an alleged N36 million fraud.

In a statement issued on Friday, the anti-graft agency said the influencer was arraigned before Justice D.I. Dipeolu at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1. She faces a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretense and stealing.

Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her defense counsel, P.I. Nwafor, informed the court that she had already refunded N24 million to the nominal complainant and requested a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance.

“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million. We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance. The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” the statement quoted the defense as saying.

Prosecution counsel S.I. Suleiman countered that the Federal Government is the complainant in the matter, and the prosecution was unaware of any arrangement between the defendant and the petitioner. The court ruled that discussions between the defendant and the nominal complainant would not affect proceedings and directed that she take her plea.

According to the EFCC, one of the counts alleges that between July 14 and 17, 2024, Blessing CEO obtained N36 million from one Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye by falsely claiming she would lease a six-bedroom detached duplex in Lekki, Lagos. Another count accuses her of fraudulently converting the same sum for personal use.

After her plea, the prosecution sought a trial date and requested that she be remanded in a correctional facility. The defense, however, asked the court to remand her in EFCC custody, noting she had just been served with the charges and was still finalizing her bail application. Justice Dipeolu granted the request and ordered her remand with the EFCC.

The case has been adjourned to June 5, 2026, for the start of trial.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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