BY Grace Zigah
Controversial Nigerian relationship coach and social media personality, Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos after appearing before a Federal High Court over multiple fraud-related charges involving more than GH¢1 million.
The outspoken influencer, who has built a reputation for courting controversy through her social media commentary on relationships and lifestyle issues, is facing three separate cases being prosecuted by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Despite the legal challenges, Blessing CEO has maintained her innocence, insisting that she has done nothing wrong and remains confident that the truth will eventually prevail.
Her latest legal troubles began after she was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on allegations linked to financial transactions totaling approximately ₦118 million, equivalent to over GH¢1 million. Following court proceedings, she was granted bail set at ₦10 million.
However, she was subsequently remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending the fulfillment of her bail conditions.
Reacting shortly after the court proceedings, Blessing CEO took to social media to address her followers, adopting a surprisingly optimistic tone despite the circumstances.
In a video message, she told supporters that she viewed the development as another challenge in her life journey and expressed confidence that the situation would ultimately work in her favor.
According to her, two of the three cases involve tenancy-related disputes. She claimed that one matter concerns ₦36 million, which she insists has already been settled, while the second involves an alleged ₦69 million tenancy disagreement.
The social media personality denied allegations suggesting she fraudulently sold properties she did not own.
The third case is connected to a controversial cancer fundraising campaign that attracted significant public attention. Blessing CEO had previously announced that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and subsequently launched an appeal for financial support. The campaign reportedly generated donations amounting to approximately ₦13 million.
However, controversy later erupted when another woman accused the influencer of allegedly using medical documents that did not belong to her in order to solicit funds from the public.
The allegations eventually attracted the attention of anti-corruption investigators and became one of the matters currently before the court.
Despite spending 26 days in EFCC custody before appearing in court, Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty to all charges. She reiterated that no court has found her guilty of any wrongdoing and emphasized that the cases remain under investigation and adjudication.
The influencer also reflected on her previous encounter with the Nigerian justice system. She recalled being remanded at the same correctional facility in 2022 following allegations of defamation and cyberbullying.
Drawing on that experience, she attempted to lighten the mood by joking about her return to prison and suggesting that her repeated encounters with legal controversies could one day become part of her political credentials.
In a post shared after the court hearing, Blessing CEO thanked her supporters for standing by her and appealed for prayers while she works to satisfy her bail conditions.
She further described the intense public attention surrounding the case as unexpected publicity, humorously suggesting that she might one day become an ambassador for the anti-graft agency prosecuting her.
