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 falsely 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 National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.
Iniedu said the arrest followed a formal petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026, requesting an investigation into the origin of the fraudulent document and the arrest of those responsible.
According to him, the petition was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.
He said the document was falsely presented as an official communication from OPay.
Following the petition, the National Cybercrime Centre deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the document and trace its source.
Iniedu said the investigation linked the document to a post on an X account allegedly operated by Abubakar.
Police operatives subsequently arrested Abubakar on September 4, 2026.
The suspect is 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 trigger public panic, financial disruption and reputational damage.
He urged members of the public to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing it online.
Iniedu added that the investigation was ongoing and assured that anyone found culpable would face prosecution after the conclusion of the probe.
The arrest followed a viral claim that OPay would shut down its operations from September 1, 2026. The fintech company had dismissed the claim as false and assured customers that it remained fully operational.
The fabricated notice, which circulated on social media, claimed that OPay would stop processing transactions and account-related services indefinitely from September 1.
OPay urged customers to rely on its verified communication channels and warned the public against spreading unverified information concerning its operations.
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