Claim
A viral online article claims that veteran journalist and broadcaster Reuben Abati was arrested and led away in handcuffs shortly after a live edition of Sunrise Daily on Channels Television.
According to the article, Abati allegedly exposed an artificial intelligence-powered investment platform known as Loryn Creditvale, prompting the arrest. The report further claims that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, fled the television studio during the programme, while billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote allegedly called into the broadcast to endorse the investment platform.
The story has circulated widely on social media platforms, particularly Facebook and WhatsApp, where it is presented as a legitimate news report encouraging Nigerians to invest in the platform with promises of extraordinary financial returns.
Why We Checked
Claims involving the arrest of a prominent journalist, an alleged confrontation with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and an endorsement from one of Africa’s richest businessmen are capable of generating widespread public attention.
Beyond the sensational allegations, the article encourages Nigerians to invest a substantial amount of money into an unfamiliar online platform while promising unrealistic financial returns within a short period.
Because such claims pose a significant financial risk to members of the public, HaltFake verified the authenticity of the report.
What We Found
The story is hosted on a fake news domain impersonating a legitimate Nigerian media outlet
Our investigation found that the viral article was deliberately designed to imitate the appearance of a reputable Nigerian news publisher, particularly Legit.ng.
However, a closer examination revealed that the article was not published on Legit.ng’s official website. Instead, it was hosted on an unrelated domain, brendavo.com, with embedded UTM tracking parameters commonly associated with advertising funnels and phishing campaigns.
A search of Legit.ng’s official archives produced no report matching the claims contained in the viral publication.
The similarities in layout and branding appear intended to mislead readers into believing they were viewing a genuine news report.
The investment platform displays characteristics commonly associated with online investment scams
Inspection of the website promoting Loryn Creditvale showed numerous warning signs.
The platform promises users daily earnings ranging from ₦1.6 million to ₦3.5 million after making an initial investment.
It also employs artificial scarcity tactics by displaying messages such as “Places remaining: 6” to pressure visitors into registering immediately.
Before providing any meaningful explanation of how the investment supposedly works, the website requests personal information including names, telephone numbers and email addresses.
Such tactics are consistent with lead-generation websites frequently used to obtain personal information before victims are contacted by sales agents or fraudsters.
No evidence supports the alleged Channels Television incident
Likewise, there is no public record of any court order directing Channels Television to remove such a programme, contrary to claims contained in the viral article.
No credible Nigerian media organisation has reported the alleged arrest.
No evidence shows Reuben Abati was arrested
Our investigation found no official statement from the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), Channels Television, or Reuben Abati confirming the alleged arrest.
Had such a high-profile arrest occurred, it would almost certainly have been reported by multiple credible Nigerian and international news organisations.
No such reports exist.
Images accompanying the story appear digitally manipulated
The photographs circulated alongside the article display multiple indicators of digital manipulation.
One image portrays individuals holding “Free Reuben Abati” placards outside the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja.
While the building itself is genuine and identifiable, the crowd appears to have been artificially generated or digitally inserted into the scene.
A second image combines an alleged protest with a portrait purportedly showing Reuben Abati.
Closer examination reveals inconsistencies between the facial features shown on the protest placards and the standalone portrait. The protest signs also appear unusually uniform in design and typography, further suggesting digital fabrication.
No independent evidence confirms that either protest ever occurred.
The scam follows a pattern previously documented in several countries
Our investigation found that the narrative used in the viral publication closely resembles an international investment scam template that has appeared in multiple countries.
These fraudulent campaigns typically impersonate trusted news organisations, insert well-known journalists or celebrities into fabricated interviews, promote fictitious AI-powered investment platforms, and promise unrealistic financial returns.
Only the names of the media personalities, public officials and currencies are altered to suit each target country.
The investment platform is not recognised by Nigerian regulators
A review of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) register found no evidence that Loryn Creditvale is licensed as a capital market operator in Nigeria.
The SEC has repeatedly warned Nigerians against investment schemes promising guaranteed or unusually high returns within very short periods, noting that such offers frequently display characteristics associated with financial fraud.
Verdict
FALSE
There is no evidence that journalist Reuben Abati was arrested after exposing an investment platform known as Loryn Creditvale on Channels Television.
The article is a fabricated news story hosted on an unrelated website impersonating a legitimate Nigerian news outlet. It appears to be part of a fraudulent investment campaign designed to persuade unsuspecting members of the public to submit personal information and invest money in an unverified online platform.
