Court Sends Blessing CEO To Kirikiri Over Alleged Cancer Scam
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered popular social media influencer and self-styled relationship therapist Blessing Okoro, widely known as Blessing CEO, remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the start of her trial on September 24, 2026.
Justice Yellim Bogoro gave the order on Wednesday after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Okoro on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, possession of false documents, fraudulent conversion, and retention of proceeds of alleged unlawful activities amounting to N13m. The EFCC said the charges followed petitions from individuals and groups, including the Nigeria Cancer Society.
At the proceedings, EFCC counsel H.U. Kofanaisa told the court that the agency had filed the six-count charge and asked that it be read to the defendant for her plea. Okoro pleaded not guilty to all counts.
According to the commission, the defendant allegedly obtained N13m from members of the public by falsely claiming she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, specifically a left breast lump and invasive ductal carcinoma with lobular features. The donations reportedly came after social media posts in which she claimed to be battling Stage 4 breast cancer and sought financial assistance for treatment.
The EFCC further alleged that Okoro forged a medical document titled “Histopathology/Cytopathology Report,” purportedly issued by Xinus Medical Diagnostics, and used it to solicit financial help from unsuspecting individuals. The prosecution accused her of possessing and using the allegedly forged report, disguising the source of the funds, fraudulently converting the money to personal use, and retaining it in her personal bank account despite allegedly knowing it constituted proceeds of unlawful activity. The charge stated that the N13m was retained in an account domiciled with GTBank, contrary to Section 18(1)(d) of the EFCC Act.
Following the plea, the prosecution asked the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant pending hearing. Defence counsel Stanley Ofoegbu told the court that, although he had not yet filed a formal bail application, he wished to make an oral application or seek a short adjournment. Justice Bogoro declined the oral application, holding that no formal bail application was before the court. He adjourned the matter to September 24, 2026, for trial and ordered Okoro remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The arraignment came barely a day after Okoro secured bail in a separate case. On June 9, 2026, Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, admitted her to bail of N10m with two sureties in like sum in an N36m fraud case filed by the EFCC. On the same day, she was arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on a two-count charge alleging that she defrauded Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited of N69.15m. Okoro pleaded not guilty, and her bail hearing in that matter was adjourned to July 16, 2026.