A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the remand of social media personality and relationship coach, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the commencement of her trial on September 24, 2026.
The order was made on Wednesday by Justice Yellim Bogoro following her arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a six-count charge involving alleged obtaining by false pretence, forgery, possession of forged documents, fraudulent conversion and retention of proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to N13 million.
During the proceedings, EFCC prosecuting counsel, H.U. Kofanaisa, informed the court that the anti-graft agency had filed a six-count charge against the defendant and requested that the charges be read to her for plea.
After the charges were read, Okoro pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
According to the EFCC, Okoro allegedly collected N13 million from members of the public after claiming she had been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition involving a lump in her left breast and invasive ductal carcinoma with lobular features.
The commission further alleged that she falsified a medical document identified as a “Histopathology/Cytopathology Report,” purportedly issued by Xinus Medical Diagnostics, and used it to appeal for financial support from unsuspecting donors.
The anti-graft agency also accused her of possessing and using the allegedly forged report, concealing the origin of the N13 million received from contributors, converting the funds for personal use, and keeping the money in her bank account despite allegedly knowing it was derived from unlawful activities.
Following her plea, the prosecution urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant pending the hearing of the case.
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Counsel to the defendant, Stanley Ofoegbu, told the court that although a formal bail application had not yet been filed, he wished to either make an oral application for bail or seek a brief adjournment.
Justice Bogoro, however, rejected the oral request on the grounds that no formal bail application had been submitted before the court.
The judge subsequently fixed September 24, 2026, for the commencement of trial and ordered that Okoro be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos.
The latest development comes less than 24 hours after the defendant was granted bail in a separate criminal matter.
On June 9, 2026, Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos admitted her to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum in another fraud case involving N36 million and instituted by the EFCC.
On the same day, she was also arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja over a two-count charge alleging that she defrauded Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited of N69.15 million.
Okoro pleaded not guilty to those charges and was remanded pending the determination of her bail application, which was adjourned until July 16, 2026.