Streams of Joy International, founded by Nigerian cleric Pastor Jerry Eze, has refunded N1,640,200 to a single mother of two after she mistakenly transferred the money into an account linked to the church.

The woman, identified as Sandra Okpara, received the full amount on Saturday, a day after a video in which she appealed for help recovering the money went viral on social media.

Okpara said the N1.64 million did not belong to her and was money she was expected to use to make payments to other people.

"This money is not my money. I cannot do offering of 1,640,200. Please help me trace the accounts," she said in the viral appeal.

Speaking to PUNCH Online after receiving the refund, Okpara confirmed that the entire amount had been returned.

HOW THE MISTAKE HAPPENED

Okpara said she had earlier transferred N1,000 as an offering on Friday and later intended to make a separate payment of more than N1.6 million to a Zenith Bank account.

However, while making the second transaction, she mistakenly selected the account associated with her earlier offering.

"My hand just clicked that one. Before God and man, it was erroneous," she said.

According to Okpara, she did not immediately realise what had happened. It was only after opening the transaction receipt that she discovered the money had been sent to the wrong account.

She said the discovery left her distressed because the funds were not hers.

Okpara initially approached financial institutions in an attempt to reverse the transaction. She said she was eventually informed that additional procedures, including a court order, could be required.

Unable to directly reach the recipient, she turned to social media and posted a video appealing for assistance.

CHURCH RESPONDS AFTER VIDEO GOES VIRAL

Streams of Joy International said it became aware of the situation after Okpara's video began circulating online.

The church said it immediately attempted to contact her through the telephone number provided and through direct messages.

According to the church, it had not received a telephone call, email, direct message or formal complaint from Okpara before the video was published.

After establishing contact, the church said it investigated the transaction and confirmed that the payment had been made in error.

"We have transferred her money back to her," Streams of Joy International announced on Saturday.

The church added that its official contact lines and direct message channels remain available to people seeking assistance with erroneous transactions.

OKPARA CONFIRMS FULL REFUND

Okpara subsequently confirmed that she had received the entire N1,640,200.

When asked whether the money had been completely refunded, she responded, "100 per cent."

She said a member of the church's staff contacted her before the refund was processed at about 6.22 am on Saturday.

Okpara credited the rapid spread of her appeal on social media with helping her reach the church.

"I had to do the video to push out for people to share it, and it happened," she said.

She also stressed that her decision to make the situation public was not intended to damage Pastor Jerry Eze's reputation.

"That's the power of social media. It's not because I want to do it to tarnish Pastor Jerry's image," she said.

The incident attracted significant attention online after the original appeal circulated widely, before confirmation emerged that the money had been returned.