The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over an allegedly false social media post claiming that financial technology company OPay was shutting down and urging customers to withdraw their money.
Abubakar was arrested on September 4 after investigators traced the widely circulated notice to an account on X linked to her, according to a statement from the police.
The disputed notice had claimed that OPay would shut down on September 1 and suspend transaction processing indefinitely, prompting an urgent warning for customers to remove their funds, Brandspur Brand News reports.
OPay rejected the information as false after it circulated online and warned that legal action could be taken against the person responsible for spreading it.
Police subsequently launched a digital forensic investigation and online tracing operation to determine where the claim originated and how it was circulated.
According to the National Cybercrime Centre, investigators linked the initial publication to the X handle @haifah_er_abba. The notice was also allegedly shared through another account, @CUTE_HAFSERH, where social media influencers were tagged alongside a message urging users to remove their money immediately.
Police said Abubakar told investigators that she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status before sharing it online.
The post attracted significant attention, reportedly recording about 572,000 views within minutes. Its rapid circulation highlighted how quickly unverified information involving financial institutions can reach large numbers of customers through social media.
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Investigators recovered three Apple mobile phones from the suspect as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are now examining the circumstances surrounding the creation and circulation of the notice and whether other individuals played a role in spreading it.
The police said Abubakar and any other persons eventually found culpable would be charged to court after investigations are completed.
The case comes amid increasing scrutiny of misinformation shared through social media, particularly claims involving financial service providers where unverified reports can quickly cause concern among customers.
Abubakar has not been convicted of any offence, and the allegations against her remain subject to investigation and any subsequent court proceedings.
