A 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force over an alleged false announcement claiming that fintech firm, OPay Digital Services Limited, had decided to shut down its operations.
Abubakar was taken into custody by operatives of the National Cybercrime Centre on September 4, following a complaint lodged by the company over the circulation of the purported shutdown notice.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this on Wednesday at a briefing held at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja, stating that OPay formally approached the police on August 31 to track down those responsible for the document.
He explained that the complaint was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police overseeing the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.
Iniedu said investigators subjected the disputed document to digital forensic analysis after determining that it had been crafted to give the impression that it originated from OPay.
He disclosed that the forensic examination led investigators to an X account identified as @haifah_er_abba, which was traced to the arrested suspect.
The police spokesman identified Abubakar as a Library and Information Science graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and said her arrest formed part of the ongoing investigation into the production and dissemination of the material.
He cautioned social media users against hastily circulating unverified information, noting that fabricated messages concerning financial institutions could trigger public anxiety, disrupt business activities and inflict reputational damage.
He added that the investigation was continuing and that anyone found to have violated the law would face prosecution.
OPay had previously rejected the viral shutdown announcement, assuring customers that it remained in business.
The company also pointed to discrepancies in the purported notice, including an outdated logo, an incorrect spelling of its name and a format inconsistent with its official correspondence.
