By Abdulraheem Kawthar Adenike | Fact Frontier.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned controversial social media influencer and relationship coach, Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N13 million medical fraud.
The self-styled therapist is facing a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense, forgery, and retention of proceeds of crime. The EFCC alleges that Blessing CEO fraudulently solicited public donations by falsely claiming she was battling Stage 4 breast cancer.
According to the anti-graft agency, Blessing CEO published a falsified medical report – titled “Histopathology/Cytopathology Report” from a diagnostic centre, Xinus Medical Diagnostics – to support her claim and convince unsuspecting members of the public to donate funds for her purported treatment. The total sum raised under the guise of medical emergency is approximately N13 million.
However, investigations by the EFCC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), revealed that the medical report was a doctored version of a document originally issued to a different patient – a genuine breast cancer survivor named Deborah Mbara. The diagnostic centre, Xinus Medical Diagnostics, has also formally denied issuing any report to Blessing CEO, confirming that the original document belonged to Ms. Mbara.
Further scrutiny of Blessing CEO’s public statements exposed inconsistencies. While she initially solicited funds for stage 4 cancer treatment, she later recanted the claim in a media interview, attributing the narrative to a “miscommunication” and stating she had not begun chemotherapy. That contradiction, alongside petitions from the Nigerian Cancer Society and other concerned groups, triggered the EFCC’s full-scale inquiry.
At her arraignment on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty to all six counts. Presiding Justice Alexander Owoeye ordered her immediate remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service. The court has adjourned the case to September 24, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
The EFCC’s lead counsel informed the court that the commission has lined up several witnesses, including officials from the Nigerian Medical Association and representatives of the diagnostic centre, to testify against the defendant. The prosecution also intends to present bank statements and forensic analysis of the contested medical document as exhibits.
This N13 million cancer fraud case is not Blessing CEO’s only brush with the law. The EFCC has previously filed separate charges against her, including an alleged N36 million property fraud and another case involving N69.15 million. All three cases are at various stages of prosecution.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, an EFCC spokesperson reiterated the commission’s commitment to protecting the public from fraudulent fundraising schemes. “Cancer is not a joke, and using a fabricated illness to exploit the empathy of Nigerians is not only criminal but deeply immoral,” the spokesperson said. “We will ensure justice is served.”
Meanwhile, Deborah Mbara – the woman whose genuine medical report was allegedly forged – has expressed shock and anger over the incident. In a statement released through her family, she called for the full prosecution of Blessing CEO, stating that the act trivializes the suffering of real cancer patients.
As the September trial date approaches, many Nigerians will be watching closely to see whether the influencer can prove her innocence or whether this case will serve as a landmark warning against medical fund fraud in the country.
