EFCC ARRAIGNS BLESSING CEO OVER ALLEGED N13 MILLION CANCER DONATION FRAUD
Read Time:1 Minute, 37 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ikoyi, on Wednesday arraigned social media influencer, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over alleged fraud involving N13 million.
The defendant was brought before Justice Yelim Bogoro on a fresh six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and allegedly retaining proceeds of unlawful activity.
According to the EFCC, the charges followed petitions received from individuals and groups, including the Nigeria Cancer Society, over social media claims made by the influencer.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Blessing CEO published posts claiming she was battling Stage 4 breast cancer and sought financial support for treatment, leading to donations from members of the public.
Investigations, according to the Commission, later revealed that the medical document presented to support the claims was allegedly falsified.
One of the charges alleged that the defendant obtained the sum of N13 million from unsuspecting citizens under the false representation that she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness involving a left breast lump and invasive ductal carcinoma with lobular features.
Another count accused her of knowingly forging a medical report titled “Histopathology/Cytopathology Report,” purportedly issued by Xinus Medical Diagnostics, with intent to obtain financial advantage.
The alleged offences were said to contravene provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
When the charges were read in court, the defendant pleaded not guilty.
Following her plea, prosecution counsel H. U. KofarNaisa requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility.
Counsel to the defendant, Stanley Ofoegbu, appealed for a short adjournment to enable the defence file a bail application.
Justice Bogoro subsequently adjourned the matter until September 24, 2026, for commencement of trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending further proceedings.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0