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 fake notice claiming that fintech company OPay was shutting down its operations in Nigeria.
The arrest followed a petition filed by OPay Digital Services Limited after the purported shutdown notice went viral on social media, causing concern among customers.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC headquarters in Abuja.
According to the police, OPay submitted a formal petition on August 31, 2026, requesting an investigation into the origin and circulation of the document and the arrest of those responsible.
The NPF-NCCC said its digital forensic investigation traced the fake document to a post published on the X account, @Hafsat_ER_ABBA, which it identified as being registered to and operated by Abubakar.
Police said Abubakar was subsequently arrested on September 4, 2026, as investigations continued.
The fake notice purportedly announced that OPay would embark on an indefinite break from September 1 and advised customers to withdraw their funds.
OPay had earlier dismissed the notice as false, assuring customers that its operations remained fully functional in Nigeria.
The fintech company also sought the assistance of the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in identifying those behind the publication, expressing concern that the misinformation could trigger panic and cause financial disruption.
The police said investigations into the matter are ongoing.
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