Police have arrested Hafsat Abubakar over a fake OPay shutdown notice.
Philips News reports that the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the alleged creation and circulation of a forged document claiming that fintech company OPay Nigeria Limited was planning to shut down its operations.
This newspaper understands that the arrest was disclosed on Wednesday during a press briefing by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja.
According to Iniedu, the investigation began after OPay Digital Services Limited submitted a formal petition on August 31, 2026, seeking the immediate investigation, tracing and arrest of those behind the production and dissemination of the fraudulent document.
The Force Public Relations Officer said the petition was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police overseeing the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.
Iniedu said the document was deliberately designed to appear as an official communication from OPay Nigeria Limited.
“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,” he said.
Following the petition, the NCCC commenced a digital forensic investigation to establish the source of the document and identify those responsible.
“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,” Iniedu said.
He disclosed that operatives of the cybercrime centre subsequently 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,” he said.
The police spokesman said the incident emphasised the potential consequences of digitally fabricated information, particularly when false claims concerning a major financial institution could trigger public anxiety, disrupt financial activities and damage corporate reputation.
Iniedu cautioned members of the public against forwarding or sharing sensitive information without first confirming its authenticity through official communication channels.
The Force Public Relations Officer said investigations into the matter were still ongoing, assuring that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted after the conclusion of the investigation.
The development followed an earlier denial by OPay of a viral claim that the fintech company would cease operations from September 1, 2026.
A fabricated document bearing the title “Official Note” had circulated on social media, claiming that OPay would indefinitely stop processing transactions and providing account services from the stated date.
On the other hand, OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, dismissed the notice as “completely false”, insisting that the company remained fully operational.
The company also identified several irregularities in the purported notice, including the use of an outdated logo, a misspelt brand name and a format inconsistent with its official communications.
OPay’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, had confirmed that the company was collaborating with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force in investigating the origin of the false document.
The fintech company further warned that persons who deliberately circulate false information about its operations could be subjected to legal action.
