EFCC Arraigns Social Media Influencer Blessing CEO Over N36m Fraud

LAGOS — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned a prominent social media influencer, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, before a Lagos State High Court over an alleged N36 million fraud.

The self-styled relationship expert is facing a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and stealing, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

According to the charge sheet, Blessing CEO allegedly defrauded one Mrs. Ifeyinwa Okoye of N36 million between July 14 and 17, 2024.

The prosecution, led by counsel to the EFCC, Mr. S.O. Daji, informed the court that the influencer falsely represented to the petitioner that she had a six-bedroom duplex available for lease in the highbrow Lekki area of Lagos, a claim the prosecution maintains was entirely false.

It was further alleged that upon receipt of the sum, Blessing CEO converted the funds to her personal use instead of securing the promised property.

When the charges were read to her, Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty. Her counsel, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, immediately applied for her bail.

In a notable development, Adedipe informed the presiding judge that a substantial portion of the disputed sum had already been refunded.

“My Lord, N24 million has been returned to the petitioner. We are actively engaging with the complainant’s family to resolve the remaining balance amicably,” the senior advocate told the court.

However, the presiding judge ruled that the ongoing private settlement discussions do not invalidate the criminal proceedings already initiated by the state.

Consequently, the court ordered that Blessing CEO be remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the determination of her bail application.

The case has been adjourned to June 5, 2026, for trial. Blessing CEO, known for her controversial commentary on relationships and high-profile legal cases involving fellow celebrities, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the charges.

Angry Youths Attack Rivers Teachers Over Student Discipline, Several Injured

Port Harcourt, Nigeria – Teachers and staff of Community Secondary School, Odagwa, in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, were reportedly attacked and beaten by angry youths from the community, leaving several injured and others missing. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of teachers in Nigerian schools, as a disturbing video of the attack continues to trend online.

According to multiple reports, the crisis began after a teacher attempted to discipline two SS3 students, who were allegedly disrupting classes with loud music (MP3) during school hours. A community source who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that during the disciplinary process, the teacher was reportedly assaulted by the students. Following this initial altercation, some youths from the community allegedly invaded the school premises, throwing the environment into chaos and violence. The situation escalated rapidly, with staff members being beaten and forced to flee into nearby bushes for safety, while roads leading out of the school were blocked.

Several staff members were said to have sustained injuries during the attack, and there are growing concerns over the whereabouts and safety of some personnel who remain unaccounted for. The extent of the injuries and the exact number of missing staff have not yet been officially confirmed by authorities.

A disturbing video trending online has sparked serious concern, with growing calls on the Rivers State Government, security agencies, and education authorities to immediately investigate the incident. The video and accompanying allegations have generated widespread reactions online, with many residents expressing concern over the situation. An emotional claim shared alongside the video by a Facebook user, David C. Oguzie, who identified one of the students as his younger sister, said: “Just look at what a newly transferred English teacher has done to my younger sister because of what she didn’t even know; but (he) even let people who committed the offence to go free. This happened at Community Secondary School Odagwa, Etche L.G.A. Please, government should do something about it because, if anything happens to her, hmm.”

READ ALSO:

• How I Nearly Lost My Job Over Desmond Elliot, Lagos Assembly Crisis — Gbajabiamila
• Nigeria Targets Additional 70,000 Annual Vehicle Output, West African Export with Hybrid Motors, Chinese Firm EV Deal

• Why Peter Obi May Struggle to Retain South-East Support in 2027 – Okonkwo

Voices heard in the background of the video, reportedly spoken in the Etche language, suggest growing anxiety and outrage among members of the community. The local language commentary indicates that the incident has deeply affected the community, with residents demanding answers and accountability.

Concerned citizens have called on relevant authorities to act swiftly in order to maintain public confidence and prevent any escalation of tension within the school and the wider community. Many are demanding a thorough investigation into the incident and the prosecution of those found responsible for the attack on the teachers.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern across Nigeria. Over the last 18 to 24 months, the country has witnessed a concerning rise in cases where parents, relatives, or hired assailants physically attacked teachers following allegations of student discipline. One of the most widely publicized cases occurred in Akure, Ondo State in May 2025, when a vice principal confiscated a student’s phone after he allegedly attempted to cheat during the WASSCE examinations. The incident escalated when the student’s mother allegedly hired men to waylay a police van, drag the vice principal out, and beat him severely, resulting in his hospitalization. Similarly, in Port Harcourt in May 2024, relatives of a Junior Secondary School 1 student reportedly stormed Silver Bird International School at Agip, Mile 4, and assaulted a female teacher, Sonia Amadi, after she disciplined a child. The assailants allegedly locked the school’s administrative officer in an office before other parents intervened to stop further violence. In the Federal Capital Territory, a widely circulated video from Starville College in Jahi showed a teacher being assaulted by both parents of a student after admitting to slapping him for pushing him. The incident quickly drew national attention and prompted discussions about the safety of teachers and the limits of classroom discipline.

In Nigeria, teachers have the right to maintain classroom order using reasonable discipline while being protected from violence. The Child Rights Act (2005) and other laws prohibit excessive or abusive physical punishment, allowing only moderate measures like detention or suspension to enforce school rules. The federal government, through the Ministry of Education, has stated that any parent or guardian who enables, supports, or participates in criminal behavior against school staff will be prosecuted under the law.

As of the time of this report, the Rivers State Government and the Police Command in the state have not issued an official statement regarding the Odagwa incident. Concerned citizens and education advocates are urging authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack, identify and prosecute those responsible for the violence, provide medical care and support for injured teachers, and implement safety measures to protect teachers in schools across the state. The incident at Community Secondary School, Odagwa, serves as a stark reminder of the growing challenges facing educators in Nigeria and the urgent need to protect teachers who are committed to shaping the nation’s future.

Angry Youths Attack Rivers Teachers Over Student Discipline, Several Injured

How I Nearly Lost My Job Over Desmond Elliot, Lagos Assembly Crisis — Gbajabiamila

Lagos, Nigeria – Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has revealed that his position was nearly jeopardized due to the 2025 political crisis within the Lagos State House of Assembly. Speaking at a constituency stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Gbajabiamila recounted a tense confrontation with President Bola Tinubu during the height of the speakership tussle involving Mudashiru Obasa. The conflict centered on reports linking Surulere lawmaker and actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot to moves aimed at destabilizing the House.

According to Gbajabiamila, the President summoned him to his study in Abuja and pointedly questioned his associate’s role. “Mr President called me to his study in Abuja and said, ‘I hear this Desmond is your boy.’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He then said Desmond was among those causing problems in the Lagos State House of Assembly,” Gbajabiamila recounted. Gbajabiamila immediately defended Elliot, insisting the lawmaker was not involved in any plot against the House leadership. “I told the President that Desmond was not part of them. I hadn’t even confirmed from him yet, but I defended him based on the trust I had in our relationship,” he confessed. However, the President remained skeptical, citing intelligence reports, and directed Gbajabiamila to “call him to order.”

The situation escalated three days later when the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) contacted Gbajabiamila with alarming intelligence. “The Director-General called me and said there was a serious issue, that my name was everywhere as the person supporting Desmond to push for impeachment,” Gbajabiamila disclosed. This development placed the Chief of Staff in an existential political crisis, as it suggested he was the “silent backer” of the rebellion against the President’s interests. “Of course, the President will not believe that Desmond will do such a thing, and I don’t know about it,” Gbajabiamila remarked.

• READ ALSO:
• Nigeria Targets Additional 70,000 Annual Vehicle Output, West African Export with Hybrid Motors, Chinese Firm EV Deal
• Why Peter Obi May Struggle to Retain South-East Support in 2027 – Okonkwo
• Court Remands Islamic Cleric for Allegedly Raping 14-Year-Old Girl in Ondo

Gbajabiamila stated that he subsequently warned Elliot to distance himself from the crisis and instructed him to issue a public statement denying the allegations. “I told Desmond to go and make a public statement that he was not part of them, but till today he has not done that,” he stated with disappointment. According to Gbajabiamila, rather than comply, the actor-turned-lawmaker “started cutting corners.” The refusal to publicly dissociate himself from the crisis kept the pressure on the Chief of Staff.

Gbajabiamila also leveled serious allegations against Elliot, accusing him of stoking religious tension in the Surulere constituency. He claimed that Elliot had involved the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the political dispute, causing division between Muslims and Christians. “For Desmond to be getting CAN, Christian Association of Nigeria to be writing an official letter to me and to the party, and causing division between the Muslims and the Christians,” Gbajabiamila stated. He maintained that religious sentiment had no place in the constituency, stressing that leaders and residents had always coexisted peacefully regardless of faith backgrounds.

Ultimately, the Chief of Staff credited his long-standing personal relationship with President Tinubu for saving his job. “If not for the kind of relationship I have with the President today, I probably would not still be here as Chief of Staff,” he admitted. He further remarked: “If it were not that I had the kind of relationship I had with the president, I wouldn’t be here today.” The admission underscores the depth of trust between the two political allies, which weathered the storm of the Assembly crisis.

The revelation sheds new light on the internal power struggles of 2025, which saw Speaker Mudashiru Obasa briefly ousted before being reinstated following President Tinubu’s reported intervention. Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, by a majority of legislators while he was reportedly returning from the United States. The allegations against him were sweeping — financial impropriety, abuse of office, high-handedness, and authoritarian leadership. In his absence, the chamber installed Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda, making history as Lagos’ first female Speaker. However, the impeachment was hailed by its architects as a triumph of accountability, but its choreography raised troubling questions. Reports of a “fake mace” and heavy police presence lent the episode the air of a coup rather than a constitutional process. Obasa himself would later allege that the chamber was broken into and his loyalists intimidated.

Meranda’s tenure lasted just 49 days before she resigned, citing the need to restore harmony. Her resignation paved the way for Obasa’s return, but the decisive blow came from the judiciary. On April 16, 2025, the Lagos High Court declared the January 13 proceedings unconstitutional, null, and void. Justice Yetunde Pinheiro’s ruling was unequivocal: the Assembly had violated its own standing orders and the Constitution.

The timing of Gbajabiamila’s revelation is significant, coming as the 2027 electoral cycle approaches. The once-unbreakable bond between Gbajabiamila and Elliot appears to have fractured beyond repair. Analysts suggest that by making this story public, Gbajabiamila is signaling a total withdrawal of his political umbrella, leaving Desmond Elliot to navigate Lagos politics without his longtime benefactor. The rift became more public after Elliot declared his interest in seeking a fourth term in office. Responding to questions on whether there was a rift between him and Gbajabiamila, Elliot had earlier appealed for reconciliation and forgiveness: “Our leader is a compassionate leader. A leader of thought. We are children. Children sometimes err. If I have erred in any way, my leader, I am sorry. Give me another chance, and let’s move on.” However, Gbajabiamila’s latest comments suggest that the political wound remains fresh, and the political godfather may not be willing to mend fences ahead of the next election cycle.

How I Nearly Lost My Job Over Desmond Elliot, Lagos Assembly Crisis — Gbajabiamila