Afriex System Error Leads to Arrest of UK Based Nigerian After Refund Was Returned

Company allegedly admitted system fault, recovered full refund, yet police action and court lien remained in force

IBADAN, Nigeria

A Nigerian professional based in the United Kingdom, Oluwafemi Sunday Ogunjobi, has alleged that he was arrested and detained over a duplicate bank transfer he had fully refunded more than three months earlier after a system error by fintech company Afriex Inc.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the matter has raised fresh questions about the responsibilities of financial technology companies in communicating resolved disputes to law enforcement agencies and the courts.

According to documents made available, the incident began on April 28, 2026, when Ogunjobi transferred £320 through Afriex to his personal Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) savings account.

The transfer was allegedly affected by a system malfunction that caused the naira equivalent, ₦602,067.20, to be credited twice.

Afriex Allegedly Admitted System Error

According to Ogunjobi, Afriex acknowledged responsibility for the duplicate credit in a WhatsApp conversation dated May 2, 2026, where a customer support representative reportedly stated that “there was a system issue” affecting the transaction.

He further stated that he acted in good faith by returning the entire duplicate amount on May 4, 2026, through a virtual account supplied by Afriex.

From the available documents, Afriex’s internal records confirmed receipt of the refunded money, with the duplicate funds fully recovered in early May.

Police Obtained Court Order After Refund Had Been Made

Despite the refund, the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), acting on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Lagos through an ex parte application.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the case, Suit No. FHC/LAG/MISC/763/2026, resulted in a court order issued on June 15, 2026, directing 15 commercial banks to place a 90 day lien on listed accounts and arrest anyone operating them.Ogunjobi’s name reportedly appeared as Entry No. 13 on the list.

According to documents reviewed, the PSFU request dated June 4 and the court order issued on June 15 both came after the duplicate funds had already been refunded on May 4.

Because the application was heard ex parte, Ogunjobi said he was not given an opportunity to present evidence showing that the disputed funds had already been returned.

Company Allegedly Promised Three Times to Resolve Restriction

According to documents provided, Afriex allegedly made three separate written commitments acknowledging the issue and promising corrective action.

These include:

A WhatsApp admission on May 2, 2026, confirming a system error.

An official email dated June 28, 2026, stating that the lien matter had been escalated.

A follow up email on June 30, 2026, assuring him that the banking restriction would be removed.

Ogunjobi alleges that none of these assurances resulted in his name being removed from the court process.

GTBank Lifted Its Own Restriction

Documents also show that GTBank informed Ogunjobi in writing on July 3, 2026, that its internal restriction on his account had been removed.

According to him, the only remaining impediment was the Federal High Court order, which he alleges Afriex failed to address despite acknowledging that the duplicate payment resulted from its own system error.

Arrested Three Months Later

The dispute escalated on August 4, 2026, when Ogunjobi visited a GTBank branch in Agbowo, Ibadan, where he was arrested pursuant to the existing court order. He was subsequently detained at Sango Police Division.

According to his account, while he remained in custody, Afriex’s automated customer support system allegedly denied any knowledge of a lien, contradicting earlier written correspondence acknowledging the issue.

He also alleged that his customer support chat was automatically closed while he sought assistance.

Ogunjobi was eventually released at approximately 6:50 p.m. following the intervention of three lawyers. His release was conditional upon reporting to the Lagos Anti Fraud Unit the following morning.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Federal High Court matter has since been adjourned until October 21, 2026.

Claims of Financial Loss and Emotional Distress

Apart from the arrest, Ogunjobi also alleges that he suffered an unexplained deduction of approximately ₦50,850 beyond the disputed amount that had already been refunded.

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He further claims he incurred legal expenses, transportation costs, prolonged restrictions on access to his personal funds, reputational damage arising from his public arrest, and emotional distress.

Questions Raised

The case raises broader legal and regulatory questions regarding the obligations of financial institutions and fintech companies to promptly notify law enforcement agencies and the courts once disputed transactions have been fully resolved.

It also highlights the potential consequences of unresolved compliance actions where financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and judicial processes operate on incomplete or outdated information.

As of the time of filing this report, Afriex, the Police Special Fraud Unit, and the Nigeria Police Force had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the documents reviewed by ValidViewNetwork.

The allegations remain subject to ongoing court proceedings.