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 document claiming that fintech company OPay Nigeria Limited was shutting down its operations.
The arrest follows a petition filed by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026, requesting an investigation into the origin of the document and the arrest of those responsible for producing and distributing it.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed the development during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Iniedu, the police launched a digital forensic investigation after receiving the petition and traced the fraudulent document to an X account operated by Abubakar.
“Upon receipt of the approved petition, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NCCC, deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the content, which was traced to a post on the X handle, @haifah_er_abba, registered and operated by one Hafsat Abubakar,” he said.
The notice circulated across social media and triggered concerns among users of the fintech platform
OPay subsequently denied the claim, describing the document as completely false and assuring customers that its operations remained unaffected.
The company also identified several inconsistencies in the document, including an outdated logo, a misspelt brand name and a layout that did not match its official communications.
OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had said the company was working with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the source of the document.
The NPF-NCCC said the incident demonstrates the growing risks posed by digitally fabricated information, particularly where false claims involve financial institutions and fintech companies.
Iniedu warned that fabricated information about financial platforms could trigger public panic, disrupt transactions and damage the reputation of businesses.
He urged members of the public to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing it online.
