Nigerian social media personality, Blessing Okoro, widely known as Blessing CEO, is under investigation following allegations that she fabricated a cancer diagnosis to solicit public donations.
Authorities, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have confirmed receiving petitions accusing the influencer of fraud, forgery, and financial misconduct.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Delta State, Bright Edafe, disclosed that the command had acknowledged the complaints and was awaiting formal statements from the petitioners before proceeding with investigations.
“We have received the petitions and are expecting the complainants to come forward with their statements. After that, we will commence a full investigation,” he said.
Similarly, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that the anti-graft agency had begun preliminary inquiries.
“A petition has been submitted to us, and we are currently reviewing it. Our next course of action will depend on the outcome of our findings,” Oyewale stated.
The controversy emerged after Okoro publicly claimed she was battling cancer, attracting sympathy and financial support from followers. However, doubts arose when inconsistencies were identified in her narrative.
The Nigerian Medical Association in Delta State later distanced itself from a medical report allegedly used by the influencer, revealing that the document belonged to another patient, Deborah Mbara, a breast cancer survivor.
Mbara accused Okoro of altering her medical records and using them to solicit donations. In a video shared online, she explained that she had met the influencer during a professional engagement and later offered support after seeing her cancer claims. According to Mbara, she unknowingly provided her medical report when Okoro requested to compare results.
In a separate interview, Okoro admitted she was not suffering from stage four cancer, contradicting her earlier claims. She also acknowledged receiving about ₦13 million in donations but maintained she did not owe the public an apology.
Mbara’s legal counsel, Sunny Anyanwu, has since petitioned the EFCC, alleging that the influencer’s actions violate provisions of the Cybercrime Act and other relevant laws.
“Our client has suffered emotional distress as her private medical records have been exposed across multiple platforms. Justice must be served, and all funds obtained through this alleged deception should be refunded,” Anyanwu said.
The lawyer further alleged that the total amount raised could be significantly higher than what was publicly disclosed.
“Our findings indicate that over ₦300 million may have been generated through this scheme. The funds were reportedly moved across accounts opened specifically for this purpose,” he added.
Reacting to the development, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Monday Ubani, described the allegations as a serious criminal matter.
“If it is established that she falsely claimed to have cancer and obtained money under that pretense, it amounts to obtaining by false pretence. That is a punishable offence, and she should face prosecution,” Ubani said.
Meanwhile, the Delta State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has expressed readiness to support the investigation. Its chairman, Dr. Israel Adaigho, noted that the association’s primary concern is to uphold professional integrity.
“We are not initiating legal action, but we are prepared to testify if called upon during the investigation,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get a response from Okoro were unsuccessful. Calls and messages sent to her remained unanswered.
The Nigerian Cancer Society has also condemned the alleged incident, urging authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure accountability.
