Witness Accuses Blessing CEO of False Property Ownership Claim in ₦69m Case

A prosecution witness has accused social media influencer Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, of falsely claiming ownership of a property for which he paid ₦69.15 million, as her alleged fraud trial continued before a Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja.

The witness, Dr Onuoha Okeigwe, made the allegation on Monday while being cross-examined by defence counsel before Justice Rahman Oshodi.

Okeigwe, the prosecution’s first witness, told the court that he relied on representations made by the defendant during WhatsApp conversations and face-to-face interactions before paying for the property.

He maintained that Blessing CEO presented herself as the owner of the building and allegedly collected the money despite not owning it. He said he had submitted WhatsApp messages, Corporate Affairs Commission documents and other materials to support his claim.

Responding to questions about the transaction documents, the witness explained that he was a chiropractic doctor rather than a lawyer and did not understand some legal terminology. He, however, insisted that the evidence he presented supported his allegation.

Okeigwe also disclosed that he had instituted a separate civil suit against the influencer to recover money spent renovating the property and seek damages. According to him, the renovation costs exceeded ₦100 million, as he intended to convert the building into a medical facility.

He clarified that the criminal case concerned the ₦69.15 million allegedly paid for the property, while the separate civil action sought recovery of renovation expenses and compensation.

Blessing CEO was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on June 9, 2026, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing involving ₦69,150,000.

The commission alleged that the defendant induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to pay the money under the representation that a property at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, belonged to her and was being leased to the company for five years.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During earlier proceedings, Okeigwe had told the court that he contacted the defendant after encountering problems relating to the property. He also alleged that a man identified as Tom arrived with police officers and that some of his workers were arrested, prompting him to pay ₦100,000 to secure their release.

The witness said the defendant maintained that she did not know the man and continued to claim ownership of the property.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until January 12, 2027, for the prosecution to call additional witnesses.

The allegations remain before the court, and Blessing CEO is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.