The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the creation and circulation of a forged document falsely claiming that OPay Nigeria Limited was shutting down its operations.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this during a press briefing at the NPF National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja on Wednesday.
Iniedu said the arrest followed a formal petition received from 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.
He said the company requested an urgent investigation, tracing and apprehension of those responsible for creating and circulating the fraudulent document, which was falsely presented as an official communication from OPay.
According to him, the NCCC immediately deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the document and trace its origin.
Iniedu said the investigation traced the document to a post on the X handle, @haifah_er_abba, registered and operated by Abubakar.
He said police operatives subsequently arrested the suspect on September 4, 2026.
“On the 4th of September 2026, police operatives of the NCCC arrested one Hafsat Abubakar, a 27-year-old female graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,” he said.
The police spokesman said the incident demonstrated the dangers posed by digitally fabricated information, particularly when such content could trigger public panic, financial disruption and reputational damage.
He urged members of the public to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing it.
Iniedu added that the investigation was ongoing, assuring that suspects found culpable would face prosecution after the conclusion of the investigation.
OPay had earlier denied a viral claim that it would shut down its operations from September 1, 2026, describing the purported notice as false and urging customers to rely on its official communication channels.
The fabricated document, titled “Official Note”, had circulated on social media, claiming that OPay would stop processing transactions and account services indefinitely from September 1.
OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, described the notice as “completely false”, stating that the company remained fully operational.
The company also pointed out inconsistencies in the document, including an outdated logo, a misspelt brand name and a layout that differed from its official communications.
OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had confirmed that the company was working with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the source of the false information.
The company warned that individuals deliberately spreading false information about its operations could face legal action.
