The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, for allegedly creating and circulating a fake notice claiming that OPay was shutting down its operations.
Police Trace Fake Notice to X Account
The investigation followed a petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, requesting that authorities identify and arrest those behind the fraudulent document.
Police said digital forensic tools were used to trace the document to an X account operated by Abubakar.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, said the document was deliberately presented as an official OPay communication.
“On the 31st of August 2026, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NCCC, received a formal petition from OPAY Digital Services Limited through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, requesting urgent investigation, tracing and apprehension of persons responsible for the creation and simulation of a fraudulent document falsely presented as an official communication issued by OPay Nigeria Limited,” Iniedu said.
Suspect Arrested in Abuja
Police said Abubakar was arrested on September 4 after investigators traced the post to her account.
“On the 4th of September 2026, police operatives of the NCCC arrested one Hafsat Abubakar, a 27-year-old female graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,” Iniedu said.
The police warned that fabricated digital information could cause panic, financial disruption and reputational damage.
OPay had earlier dismissed the viral shutdown notice as “completely false”, urging customers to rely only on its verified communication channels.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police saying anyone found culpable will face prosecution.
