The suspension of Paystack co-founder Ezra Olubi over resurfaced online posts has ignited a national debate on whether the police should intervene, especially as some of the old tweets circulating publicly contain remarks that allude to minors.
The controversy erupted after a former acquaintance of Olubi shared personal grievances online, prompting users to dig up past tweets from 2009–2013 that included sexually suggestive comments about colleagues and, in some cases, minors.
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One tweet reading, “Save water. Take a bath with your neighbour’s daughter,” and another suggesting inappropriate touching of a co-worker drew widespread condemnation. Although the allegations remain unproven, the uproar has placed pressure on both the company and law-enforcement agencies.
Paystack, a Stripe-owned fintech firm, announced that Olubi has been suspended pending the conclusion of a “formal investigation,” adding that it would refrain from public comment to protect the process. Olubi has since deactivated his X account.
Why Police Intervention Is Necessary
While the company’s internal probe is ongoing, anti-corruption and civic watchdogs say the matter goes beyond corporate ethics. The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) argues that law enforcement cannot stand aloof where allegations possibly involving minors are in the public domain.
CACOL Executive Director, Debo Adeniran, described the situation as “moral corruption,” stressing that individuals in positions of influence must uphold the highest standards of conduct. Crucially, he noted that while adult relationships may raise moral questions, anything involving minors squarely falls within criminal territory.
“If it is with minors, anybody under 18, then it is a criminal offence,” Adeniran said. “Once it involves an underage girl, the police should step in and ensure justice is done.”
He added that a minor cannot “seduce” an adult or be held responsible for any such encounter, making it imperative for law-enforcement authorities to investigate any suggestion, however remote, that a crime may have been committed.
Adeniran also faulted any delay in alerting authorities if an internal probe suggests misconduct involving minors: “The company itself should have even handed him over to the police for investigation without waiting for parents or guardians of the minor to complain.”
Critical Questions the Police Must Ask
Given the sensitivity and seriousness of the allegations circulating online, there are legitimate questions only an independent law-enforcement probe can answer. The police need to establish whether:
- Any minors were directly harmed or exploited.
- Any of the statements posted were linked to real-world conduct.
- Other potential victims may exist but have not come forward.
- The now-deleted social-media content was simply inappropriate humour or reflective of deeper behavioural patterns.
These questions, raised not out of prejudice but out of public interest and the need to protect vulnerable persons, cannot be resolved solely through a private organisational inquiry.
With the controversy still unfolding and Paystack yet to share the outcome of its internal investigation, the involvement of the police would provide an independent layer of scrutiny. It would also help determine whether the matter remains a moral issue or crosses into the realm of criminality.
FURTHER READING
In cases where allegations touch on minors, even indirectly, the price of inaction could be too high.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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