The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the alleged creation and circulation of a forged notice claiming that OPay Nigeria Limited was shutting down its operations.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed the arrest during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Iniedu, the investigation began after OPay Digital Services Limited submitted a formal petition to the police on August 31, 2026, seeking the investigation and arrest of those behind the allegedly fraudulent document.
He said the petition was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.
The police spokesman explained that the disputed document was designed to appear as an official communication from OPay Nigeria Limited, despite not being issued by the company.
Following the petition, the NPF-NCCC deployed digital forensic tools to examine the document and trace its source.
Iniedu said the investigation linked the material to a post published through the X account @haifah_er_abba, which police identified as being registered to and operated by Abubakar.
Police operatives subsequently arrested Abubakar on September 4, 2026.
Iniedu identified her as a graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The FPRO said the incident highlighted the potential consequences of fabricated digital content, particularly when false information concerns financial institutions and could cause public anxiety, disrupt transactions or damage a company’s reputation.
He also urged Nigerians to verify sensitive information through official communication channels before sharing it on social media or other platforms.
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OPay Had Denied Shutdown Claim
The arrest followed a viral claim that OPay would stop its operations from September 1, 2026.
OPay had dismissed the circulating notice as false and advised customers to rely on the company’s verified communication channels for information about its services.
The fabricated document, titled “Official Note”, claimed that the fintech company would indefinitely stop processing transactions and providing account-related services from September 1.
OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, described the notice as “completely false” and said the company remained operational.
The company also highlighted several features it said showed that the document was not genuine, including an outdated logo, a misspelling of the brand name and a design that did not match its official communications.
OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had earlier said the company was working with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to trace the source of the false information.
The company warned that anyone deliberately spreading false claims about its operations could face legal consequences.
Meanwhile, the police said the investigation into the matter remains ongoing and that suspects found culpable would be prosecuted after the conclusion of the investigation.