Police apprehend culprit behind fake Opay shutdown notice

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the alleged creation and circulation of a fake document claiming that fintech company OPay Nigeria Limited was planning to shut down its operations.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed the arrest on Wednesday during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC headquarters in Abuja.

Iniedu said the investigation started after OPay Digital Services Limited submitted a petition to the police on August 31, 2026, asking for an urgent investigation into the origin of the document and the arrest of those responsible for producing and spreading it.

He explained that the petition was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.

According to the police spokesman, the document was designed to appear as an official communication from OPay Nigeria Limited, falsely giving the impression that the company was preparing to stop its operations.

Iniedu said the cybercrime centre immediately began a digital investigation to determine where the document came from.

“Upon receipt of the approved petition, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NCCC, deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the content, which was traced to a post on the X handle, @haifah_er_abba, registered and operated by one Hafsat Abubakar,” he said.

He added that police operatives arrested Abubakar on September 4, 2026.

“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 FPRO warned that the creation and spread of fake digital information could have serious consequences, including causing panic among members of the public, disrupting financial activities and damaging the reputation of individuals and businesses.

He also advised Nigerians to verify sensitive information through official channels before sharing such content, especially on social media.
He said the investigation was ongoing and assured that suspects found culpable would face prosecution after the conclusion of the investigation.

Very Nigerian had reported that OPay denied a viral claim that it would shut down operations from September 1, 2026, describing the notice as false and urging customers to rely on its official communication channels.

A fabricated document titled “Official Note” had circulated on social media, claiming that OPay would stop processing transactions and account services indefinitely from September 1.

OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, described the notice as “completely false” and said the company remained fully operational.

The company also pointed out inconsistencies in the document, including an outdated logo, a misspelt brand name and a layout that differed from its official communications.

OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had also confirmed that the company was working with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the source of the false information.

The company warned that individuals deliberately spreading false information about its operations could face legal action

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