A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted social media influencer, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, bail in the sum of ₦10 million over an alleged ₦36 million fraud case.
Aside from the ₦10 million bail, the court also ordered that she provide two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a family member and is required to provide proof of employment, Bank Verification Number (BVN), National Identification Number (NIN), and a valid phone number.
The sureties are also to submit a valid international passport, tax clearance certificates for the last two years, and six passport photographs.
Justice Dipeolu granted the bail on Tuesday, after Blessing CEO was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of ₦36 million.
The defendant, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was accused of fraudulently obtaining the money under false pretences and dishonestly converting the funds to her personal use.
In a related development, the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC also arraigned Blessing CEO before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over a fresh alleged ₦69.15 million fraud.
She was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of ₦69,150,000.
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.
However, defence counsel, Nkama Nneka, informed the court that service of the charge had only recently been effected.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi held that the arraignment should proceed in accordance with the law, after which the charges were read to the defendant.
According to the first count, Blessing CEO allegedly induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to confer a benefit of ₦69,150,000 on her by representing that a property located at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, belonged to her and had been leased to the company for a period of five years, a representation the prosecution said she knew to be false.
The second count alleged that she dishonestly converted the ₦69,150,000, said to be the property of Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited, to her personal use.
She also pleaded not guilty to the fresh charges.
Following her plea, the prosecution asked the court to fix a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending her scheduled arraignment before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on June 10, 2026, for another alleged fraud case.
Consequently, Justice Oshodi remanded the defendant in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter until July 16, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.