Allegations of Fraud in Lekki Lease Deal

A prosecution witness has told a Lagos Special Offences Court how social media influencer, Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, allegedly deceived him into paying N69.15 million for a five-year lease of a Lekki property she allegedly did not own.

The witness, Dr Onuoha Okeigwe, told the court that he paid the money after Blessing CEO allegedly presented the property at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, Lagos, as hers. Okeigwe, who testified as the first prosecution witness in the trial, detailed the events leading up to the transaction.

Police Arrests and WhatsApp Evidence

Okeigwe explained that he became suspicious of the transaction after a man identified as Mr Tom reportedly arrived at the premises with police officers and arrested some of his workers. According to him, he contacted the defendant over the incident, but she allegedly denied knowing the man and maintained that she owned the property.

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,

— Dr Onuoha Okeigwe, First Prosecution Witness, Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited

The witness said he had WhatsApp messages in which the defendant allegedly sent him photographs of the building as evidence of her ownership. He further told the court that, in addition to the N69.15 million, he paid other charges, including agency, legal and caution fees, in connection with the lease transaction. Okeigwe also alleged that Blessing CEO collected money from another person for the same property, insisting that the central issue was her alleged representation that she owned the premises when she was not the actual owner.

EFCC Prosecution and Court Proceedings

The allegations form the basis of a two-count charge filed against the influencer by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1. The commission accused her of obtaining money by false pretence and stealing N69.15 million in connection with the disputed property transaction.

According to the EFCC, the defendant allegedly committed the offence on or about March 21, 2025, by inducing Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to part with the money through a false representation that she owned the Lekki property and was leasing it to the company for five years.

Blessing CEO was arraigned on June 9, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Justice R. A. Oshodi adjourned the case until October 26, 2026, for continuation of the trial.