In a significant development at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, a witness has detailed how he was allegedly defrauded of N69,150,000 by social media influencer Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO. The testimony was delivered on October 12, 2026, during the ongoing trial against Okoro, who faces charges of obtaining money under false pretenses and stealing.

Dr. Onuoha Okeigwe, the prosecution witness, explained to Justice R. A. Oshodi that he had entered into a five-year lease agreement for a property that he believed belonged to Okoro. The court heard that the property, located at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, was misrepresented to him as being owned by the defendant, a claim that he later discovered to be false.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) initially arraigned Blessing CEO on June 9, 2026, on two counts related to the alleged fraud. According to the charges, Okoro induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to pay her N69,150,000 under the pretense that she was the rightful owner of the property. The first count of the charge states that she committed this act with the intent to defraud, knowing the representation to be false.

During his testimony, Dr. Okeigwe recounted his attempts to address concerns regarding the legitimacy of the lease. He claimed that after he raised these issues, a man named Mr. Tom, accompanied by police officers, arrived at the property and arrested some of his workers. "I informed the defendant, and she claimed she did not know Mr. Tom. I paid N100,000 to secure the release of my workers. Blessing still maintained that she did not know Mr. Tom and that she was the owner of the property," he stated.

The witness also presented WhatsApp messages as evidence, where Okoro allegedly sent him photographs of the building to substantiate her claim of ownership. Furthermore, he revealed that he incurred additional costs, including agency and legal fees, while dealing with the lease.

Dr. Okeigwe emphasized that despite paying the substantial sum of N69,150,000, the defendant was not the actual owner of the property and had also collected money from another victim for the same premises. Following the witness's testimony, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until October 26, 2026, for further proceedings, as the trial continues to unfold amidst serious allegations against the influencer.