The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a woman accused of circulating a fake notice claiming that OPay Digital Services Limited was shutting down its operations.
The suspect, Hafsat Abubakar, was arrested on September 4, 2026, following a digital forensic investigation that traced the widely circulated notice to her X account, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on Thursday, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The fake notice, according to the statement, attracted about 572,000 views within minutes of its publication, raising concerns over the potential impact of false information on customers of the digital financial services company.
According to the NPF-NCCC, the notice was designed to look like an official corporate communication from OPay, bearing the company’s logo, corporate branding, name and a purported management signature and endorsement.
It falsely announced the shutdown of OPay’s operations, a development the police said had the potential to mislead members of the public and create unnecessary panic among customers.
Following the circulation of the notice, operatives of the NPF-NCCC commenced digital forensic analysis and online tracing to determine its source and identify those behind its dissemination.
The investigation led to Abubakar’s arrest after the notice was traced to her X account.
The police said preliminary findings showed that the suspect subsequently shared the notice through another X account, @CUTE_HAFSERH, where she tagged social media influencers and accompanied the post with the caption, “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.”
The suspect reportedly told investigators that she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status.
Three Apple mobile phones were recovered from her as exhibits.
The NPF-NCCC said investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the creation and dissemination of the fake notice and establish whether other individuals were involved.
It added that Abubakar, alongside any other person found culpable, would be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, commended the NPF-NCCC operatives for tracing the online publication and arresting the suspect.
Disu reiterated the commitment of the police to combating cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation and the spread of false information through digital platforms.
The Force also urged members of the public to exercise caution before acting on information circulated online, particularly claims involving financial institutions and services.
It advised Nigerians to verify such information through the official communication channels of the affected institution and report suspicious online activities to relevant law enforcement authorities.
