Nigeria Police arrest woman for spreading fake OPay shutdown notice

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested 27-year-old Hafsat Abubakar for allegedly circulating a forged notice claiming that fintech company OPay Digital Services Limited was shutting down its operations.

The fraudulent document, which utilized OPay’s logo and branding to appear authentic, gained approximately 572,000 views on social media, causing widespread concern among customers. Police stated that Abubakar used X accounts to spread the notice and urged followers to “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.”

The investigation was initiated following a formal petition from OPay on August 31, 2026. Digital forensic analysis traced the publication to Abubakar’s social media handles. During her arrest on September 4, police recovered three mobile phones. While OPay has denied any plans to cease operations, the incident has sparked debate, with some public figures calling for compassion toward the suspect after she reportedly complied with initial requests to delete the post and apologize.