Police nab two Lagos women over false publication purporting bank shutting down

The Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Alagbon, Lagos, has apprehended two women over an alleged false publication.

The publication claimed that Access Bank Plc would shut down operations and advised customers to close their accounts and withdraw their funds.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), FCID, Mr Simeon Akpanudom, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the FCID premises on Friday.

Akpanudom said the suspects were apprehended on charges bordering on conspiracy, false publication, fabrication and digital dissemination of malicious falsehood, economic sabotage, and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace.

The police boss said they were apprehended in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, following a petition by Access Bank through its solicitors.

He said the petition, dated July 30 concerned a publication dated July 28, which was posted on Facebook by one of the suspects and purportedly presented as a communication from Access Bank.

According to him, the publication claims that the bank will shut down operations effective Sept. 23, advising its customers to close their accounts and withdraw their funds.

He said the publication was subsequently circulated on other social media platforms within a day.

“Access Bank believed that the malicious publication could cause the collapse of the bank, economic crisis and national embarrassment, hence the petition,” Akpanudom said.

The AIG said detectives immediately began investigation into the matter and, through discreet investigation, traced and apprehended the two suspects in Uyo.

He said investigation revealed that both suspects belonged to a WhatsApp group known as “Queendom”.

He said one of the suspects allegedly posted the message on the WhatsApp group on July 28 at about 9.04 a.m., while the other suspect allegedly copied and posted it on her Facebook account.

Akpanudom said the Facebook account had more than 12,000 followers, thereby enabling the publication to reach a wider audience.

The AIG said the suspects admitted during investigation to their involvement in circulating the publication.