Crime

Influencer Blessing CEO remanded over N36m fraud

Published

5 months ago

May 16, 2026

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday said a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, had remanded social media influencer, Okoro Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, in its custody over an alleged N36m fraud.

In a statement obtained by Saturday PUNCH, the commission said the defendant was arraigned by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 before Justice D.I. Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.

According to the EFCC, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to her.

The commission stated that during the proceedings, defence counsel, P.I. Nwafor, informed the court that the defendant had refunded N24m to the nominal complainant and sought a short adjournment to allow both parties resolve the outstanding balance.

“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24m out of the N36m.

“We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance. The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” said the statement.

However, prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, told the court that the Federal Government was the complainant in the matter and that the prosecution was not aware of any arrangement between the defendant and the petitioner.

The statement noted that the court held that any discussion between the defendant and the nominal complainant would not affect the proceedings and directed that the defendant takes her plea.

The EFCC in the statement says “One of the counts alleged that the defendant, between July 14 and 17, 2024, obtained N36 million from one Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the false pretence of leasing a six-bedroom detached duplex in Lekki, Lagos, which representation she allegedly knew to be false.

“Another count, according to the commission, accused her of fraudulently converting the said sum to personal use,”.

Following her plea, the prosecution applied for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending trial.

Defence counsel, however, urged the court to remand her in EFCC custody, noting that she had just been served with the charges and was still perfecting her bail application.

Justice Dipeolu granted the request and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.

The case was adjourned till June 5, 2026, for commencement of trial, the statement added.

punch.ng

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Crime

PHOTOS: 130 supects arrested as FBI raids Ghana fraud center

Published

1 day ago

October 8, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

One hundred and thirty persons have been arrested after men of the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI raided a suspected fraud compound in Ghana and arrested more than 130 people.

The FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed this in a post shared on his official X account on Thursday.

Patel said the operation, codenamed “Operation Blackout”, was carried out in the week as part of the FBI’s efforts to dismantle global scam centres.

“OPERATION BLACKOUT: This is the FBI’s global scam-centre fraud demolition. Another takedown this week out of Ghana,” Patel wrote.

He said the operation had so far resulted in nearly $10m in identified losses, 89 victims identified, more than 130 individuals arrested or detained, including victims who would be repatriated to their home countries, and more than 300 devices seized.

“Investigation is ongoing. These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives – and this @FBI is crushing them in every corner of the world. More to come,” he said.

Patel also gave an update on the overall Operation Blackout figures, saying roughly $17bn had been seized, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested and thousands of trafficked workers freed.

He added that more than 10,000 Americans had been warned before losing their money, while an estimated $670m in losses had been prevented.

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Crime

Police arrest prophet’s son in Ogun over N18m online fraud

Published

1 day ago

October 8, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Adewale Arojah, identified as a prophet’s son, for allegedly impersonating a renowned cleric on Facebook and defrauding multiple victims of over N18m under the guise of offering prayers and spiritual assistance.

According to a statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, on Thursday, the arrest followed a complaint lodged on October 3, 2026, by Muyiwa Akogun, popularly known on Facebook as “Prophet Dr. Muyiwa Akogun”.

The command said Akogun alerted the police after members of the public complained about “fraudulent activities being perpetrated in his name through a duplicated Facebook profile.”

“Upon receipt of the complaint, the Divisional Police Officer, Ilaro Division, immediately detailed intelligence and detective operatives to track down the perpetrator,” the statement said.

It added that “through sustained technological monitoring and intelligence-led analysis, the suspect was tracked to a nearby village in Ajegunle, via the Ilaro/Ibogun axis, where he was successfully apprehended.”

The police said the suspect confessed during interrogation to impersonating the cleric on Facebook.

“During a rigorous interrogation, the suspect confessed to impersonating the real Prophet Akogun on Facebook.

“He admitted to using the cleric’s identity to deliver fake prophecies and offer prayer services to vulnerable individuals, thereby defrauding victims residing both within Nigeria and in the diaspora,” Babaseyi said.

The command said preliminary investigations showed that the suspect allegedly targeted people seeking spiritual assistance through the prophet’s Facebook page.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect systematically targeted victims seeking spiritual assistance on the said prophet’s Facebook page, gains their trust and swindled them of funds amounting to over ₦18 million,” it said.

The suspect has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

The command said the investigation would be used to ascertain the extent of the crime, identify potential accomplices, and ensure possible prosecution.

The command said the arrest was part of its efforts to tackle online fraud and identity theft in the state.

“The swift arrest highlights the Ogun State Police Command’s resolve to dismantle online fraud networks, curb identity theft, and deny cybercriminals safe space to operate across the state,” Babaseyi said.

The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ilaro operatives for what the statement described as their “vigilance, tactical discipline, and swift response”.

The CP also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting residents from digital and physical threats.

The command advised members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with religious leaders and public figures on social media.

“The Command advises members of the public to exercise caution and due diligence when engaging with religious leaders or public figures on social media platforms,” the statement said.

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Crime

Adeleke summons security chiefs over Osun cult killings

Published

3 days ago

October 7, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has summoned heads of security agencies in the state to a meeting following a spike in security breaches, particularly recent killings involving rival cult groups in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, saying the meeting would be held on Wednesday.

Ojo said the meeting would deliberate on and address the killings by suspected cultists in the state.

He added that the meeting would also discuss measures to make forests in the state safer, in view of the recent killing of an ISWAP leader in Owo, Ondo State.

“We are holding a security meeting on Wednesday, by the special grace of God, to reassure our people and put our security agencies on their toes.

“What happened in Ondo is a lesson to those criminals hibernating in the forests.

We will not take it lightly with anyone using the forest as a hideout,” he said.

He further said, “Aside from that, we are also using the meeting to address the incessant killings by rival cult groups in the past weeks.

“We need to meet and discuss how to stop these killings by cult groups or any other violent crimes hiding under that canopy.”

The governor’s aide, who stressed the need to stop the killings to protect Osun’s corporate image, warned perpetrators of violent crimes to desist or face dire consequences.

“We need to stop it, so as not to give our state a bad name, because nobody knows what they are fighting for or why they are killing themselves,” Ojo said.

The PUNCH reports that two separate attacks by members of rival cult groups, which occurred in Osogbo, the state capital, between last Friday and Sunday, left two people dead and about five others injured.

In reaction to the latest cult attack, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, subsequently ordered tactical teams to raid suspected criminal hideouts in Osogbo.

Source: punchng.com

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