The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, for allegedly creating and circulating a fake notice claiming that fintech company OPay Nigeria Limited had ceased operations.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed the arrest during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said the suspect was apprehended following a petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026, seeking an investigation into the source of the false information.
According to Iniedu, the petition was forwarded through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, after a forged document purportedly issued by OPay began circulating online.
He explained that cybercrime investigators deployed digital forensic tools to trace the origin of the document and linked it to an X account identified as @haifah_er_abba, allegedly operated by Abubakar.
“Following investigations, police operatives arrested Hafsat Abubakar, a 27-year-old graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on September 4, 2026,” Iniedu said.
The police spokesman noted that the incident underscored the growing threat posed by digitally fabricated information, warning that such content could cause public panic, damage corporate reputations and disrupt financial activities.
He urged members of the public to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing it and added that investigations were ongoing. He assured that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The arrest followed OPay’s denial of a viral notice that claimed the company would shut down operations and suspend transaction services from September 1, 2026.
The company had described the notice as fake, insisting that its services remained fully operational. OPay also highlighted several inconsistencies in the document, including the use of an outdated logo, a misspelling of the company’s name and a format that differed from its official communications.
The company’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had earlier stated that OPay was collaborating with security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, to identify those behind the false publication.
OPay warned that individuals responsible for deliberately spreading misinformation about its operations could face legal consequences.
