OPay Impersonation Case: Court Remands Woman as Police Detail Alleged Scheme
A Lagos Magistrate Court has remanded a 31-year-old woman, Funke Femiloba, following her arraignment over alleged impersonation of OPay Digital Services Limited and obtaining money from members of the public under false pretence.
Femiloba was arraigned before the Ikeja Magistrate Court on September 24, 2026, on a four-count charge marked MIK/P/53/26. The charges border on conspiracy, impersonation, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and allegedly obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the police, the alleged offences occurred in September 2026 within the Ikeja Magisterial District of Lagos. Investigators alleged that the defendant worked with other persons, who are currently at large, in an attempt to obtain money from members of the public through false representations.
One of the charges specifically alleges that Femiloba presented herself as a staff member of OPay Digital Services Limited, despite allegedly knowing that the representation was false. The police brought the allegation under Section 78 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The case also includes an allegation that her conduct was capable of causing a breach of peace by misleading members of the public. Another count accuses her of obtaining money from a member of the public under false pretence, with the police relying on relevant provisions of the Lagos State criminal law.
Femiloba pleaded not guilty to all the allegations. Following the arraignment, the presiding magistrate ordered that she be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending further proceedings.
The court has adjourned the matter until November 30, 2026, when the case is expected to come up for hearing. The prosecution will have the opportunity to present its evidence as the judicial process continues.
The development comes against the backdrop of heightened concern over the misuse of financial brands and digital platforms to deceive members of the public. In September, police also investigated a separate case involving a woman accused of circulating a fabricated notice claiming that OPay was shutting down its Nigerian operations.
The latest case therefore puts renewed attention on the need for members of the public to verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent a financial institution before transferring money or disclosing sensitive information.
For now, the allegations against Femiloba remain before the court and have not been established as facts. Her not-guilty plea means the prosecution must prove its case in accordance with the law as the proceedings continue.
