The Nigeria Police Force 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.
The arrest was carried out by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre following a petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited over the fraudulent publication.
According to the police, the investigation began after the false notice, designed to resemble an official OPay communication, was widely circulated on social media.
The document reportedly carried OPay’s logo, corporate branding, company name and a purported management signature, creating the impression that it was an authentic announcement from the fintech company.
Police said digital forensic analysis traced the notice to an X account linked to Abubakar. She was subsequently arrested on September 4.
Investigators also recovered three Apple mobile phones from the suspect as exhibits.
The police said Abubakar allegedly published the notice on her X account before sharing it through another account and tagging social media influencers. The post reportedly carried the caption, “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.”
According to the police, the publication attracted approximately 572,000 views within minutes, raising concerns that it could cause panic among OPay customers and influence them to withdraw or transfer their funds based on false information.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that she obtained the purported shutdown notice from a WhatsApp status.
The police said investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the creation and dissemination of the document and to identify any other individuals who may have been involved.
The Force said Abubakar and anyone else found culpable would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
OPay had earlier dismissed the shutdown claim as false and malicious, assuring customers that it had no plans to suspend its operations. The company also urged customers to rely on its verified communication channels for official information.
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