The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, for allegedly creating and circulating a forged document that claimed OPay Digital Services Limited was shutting down its operations in Nigeria.
The arrest followed a formal petition filed by OPay on 31 August 2026, in which the fintech company requested a full investigation into the origin and spread of the fraudulent notice.
Force Public Relations Officer Anietie Iniedu announced the development during a press briefing at the NPF National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja on Wednesday. He said police investigators used digital forensic tools to examine the document and trace its source, which was linked to a post on an X (formerly Twitter) account operated by Abubakar.
Operatives arrested the suspect on 4 September 2026. Iniedu identified Abubakar as a graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The fake document was presented as an official communication from OPay. It falsely stated that the company would indefinitely suspend all transactions and account-related services from 1 September. The notice urged customers to withdraw their funds, raising fears of public panic and possible disruption of confidence in the platform.
OPay had earlier dismissed the notice as completely false, assuring customers that its operations remained fully functional. The company highlighted clear inconsistencies in the forged document, including an outdated logo, a misspelling of its brand name, and a layout that did not match official communications.
OPay confirmed that both the police and the Department of State Services were investigating the matter. The company said it was cooperating fully with the authorities and would pursue legal action against those responsible.
Police said the investigation remains open. They warned members of the public against creating or sharing fabricated digital content capable of causing panic, financial disruption or reputational harm. Anyone found culpable will face prosecution once the probe is concluded, the NPF-NCCC stated.
