The Nigerian Police Force has announced the arrest of a suspect identified as Hafsat Abubakar in connection with the creation and circulation of a forged document falsely claiming that OPay was shutting down operations.
The fabricated notice circulated widely and caused immediate concern among OPay’s large customer base. Many of them rely on the platform for daily financial transactions, including payments, transfers, and savings.
The Police did not provide further details on the suspect’s profile or the specific charges to be filed at the time of the announcement. Regardless, investigations are ongoing. OPay, on the other hand, has not yet issued a public statement in response to the arrest.
The incident highlights the growing danger of financial misinformation in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy. A false shutdown notice targeting a major fintech platform can trigger customer panic, bank runs, and significant economic disruption within hours of circulation.
Creating and circulating forged documents designed to destabilise institutions or cause public panic is a criminal offence under Nigerian law.
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