The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the alleged creation and circulation of a forged document claiming that fintech company OPay Nigeria Limited was shutting down its operations.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Iniedu, the arrest followed a petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026, through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.
The company had requested an urgent investigation into the source of the fraudulent document and the identification and arrest of those responsible for its creation and circulation.
Iniedu said the NCCC subsequently deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the document and trace its origin.
He said the investigation linked the post to an X account, @haifah_er_abba, allegedly registered and operated by Abubakar.
Police operatives arrested the suspect on September 4, 2026.
Iniedu identified Abubakar as a 27-year-old graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The police spokesman said the incident highlighted the dangers posed by digitally fabricated information, particularly when false claims could cause public panic, financial disruption and reputational damage to organisations.
He urged members of the public to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing it online.
Iniedu added that investigations were ongoing and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted after the conclusion of the investigation.
The development followed OPay’s denial of a viral claim that the company would cease operations from September 1, 2026.
The fintech company described the purported shutdown notice as completely false and urged customers to rely only on its verified communication channels.
The fabricated document, titled “Official Note,” claimed that OPay would indefinitely stop processing transactions and providing account services from September 1.
OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, dismissed the notice, while the company highlighted several inconsistencies, including an outdated logo, a misspelt brand name and a layout that differed from its official communications.
The company’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, also confirmed that OPay was working with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to identify those behind the false information.
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