A social media appeal has helped a woman recover more than N1.6 million she mistakenly transferred to an account linked to Streams of Joy International, after efforts through banking channels initially failed to resolve the issue.

Sandra Okpara confirmed that the N1,640,200 was refunded on Saturday, a day after a video she shared online seeking help to trace the funds gained widespread attention. She said the money was not personal savings but funds meant for other financial obligations.

Okpara explained that the mistake happened while she was attempting to make a payment to a Zenith Bank account. According to her, she had earlier transferred N1,000 as an offering before accidentally selecting another account while processing a larger transaction.

She said she only discovered the error after opening the transaction receipt and immediately sought assistance from her bank and payment platform. Okpara added that she approached Moniepoint after contacting Zenith Bank but was informed that additional legal documentation, including a court order, would be required.

Unable to directly reach the account holder, Okpara turned to social media, appealing to members of the public and the church community to help connect her with the right people. She said her intention was to recover the money and not to create any negative impression about the church or its leadership.

Streams of Joy International said it became aware of the matter through the viral video and began verification of the claim. The church stated that its team contacted Okpara through available channels, confirmed the transaction details, and processed the refund after completing its checks.

The refund was completed on Saturday morning, with Okpara confirming receipt of the full amount. She said a staff member of the church contacted her before the money was returned at about 6:22 am, describing the outcome as a result of the public attention generated through her appeal.