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 on Wednesday during a press briefing at the NPF National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.
Iniedu said the arrest followed a formal petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026, seeking an urgent investigation into the source of the document and the arrest of those responsible for its creation and circulation.
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, Abuja.
He said the document was allegedly designed to appear as an official communication from OPay.
“On the 31st of August 2026, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre received a formal petition from OPay Digital Services Limited… requesting urgent investigation, tracing and apprehension of persons responsible for the creation and simulation of a fraudulent document falsely presented as an official communication issued by OPay Nigeria Limited,” Iniedu said.
Following the petition, the police spokesman said cybercrime investigators deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the document and trace its source.
He said the investigation traced the material to a post on the X account @Hafsat_ER_ABBA, which police said was registered and operated by Abubakar.
“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 stated.
The police said the development underscored the potential dangers of digitally fabricated information, particularly when false claims involving financial institutions could trigger panic, disrupt transactions and damage reputations.
Iniedu urged Nigerians to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing it on social media.
He said investigations were ongoing and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted after the conclusion of the probe.
The development followed a viral claim that OPay would shut down its operations from September 1, 2026.
OPay had earlier dismissed the claim as false, urging customers to disregard the purported shutdown notice and rely only on its verified communication channels.
The fabricated document, titled “Official Note”, claimed that the fintech company would stop processing transactions and account services indefinitely from September 1.
OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, described the document as “completely false” and assured customers that the company remained fully operational.
The company also identified what it described as inconsistencies in the purported notice, 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 identify the source of the false information.
The company also warned that anyone deliberately spreading false information about its operations could face legal action.
