Police nab 27-year-old over fake OPay shutdown claim

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre arrested Hafsat Abubakar, a 27-year-old graduate, in Abuja on September 4, 2026, after digital forensic investigators traced a forged document falsely claiming that OPay Nigeria Limited would shut down its operations to an account linked to Abubakar.

The arrest followed a formal complaint submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, asking the police to investigate, trace and apprehend those responsible for creating and circulating the document.

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The development has highlighted the growing risks posed by fabricated digital communications, particularly when false information targets financial institutions whose customers depend on uninterrupted access to their accounts and payment services.

According to the Nigeria Police Force, the complaint was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.

The National Cybercrime Centre then deployed digital forensic tools to examine the document and investigate its online trail.

Force Public Relations Officer Anietie Iniedu said the investigation traced the material to a post on the X account @haifah_er_abba, which police said was registered and operated by Abubakar.

“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,” Iniedu said during a press briefing at the NPF-NCCC in Abuja.

Police subsequently arrested Abubakar on September 4.

Iniedu identified Abubakar as a graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The police have not announced a final determination of criminal liability, with the investigation still continuing.

The case centres on a document presented as an official communication from OPay. The document, which circulated online, claimed that the fintech company would stop processing transactions and providing account services from September 1, 2026.

OPay rejected the claim and urged customers not to rely on unofficial information about the company’s operations.

The company identified several apparent inconsistencies in the document, including the use of an outdated logo, an incorrect spelling of the brand name and a format that differed from OPay’s established corporate communications.

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

The company also moved to investigate the source of the material. OPay Chief Legal Counsel Akinfolabi Rokosu said OPay was working with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to establish how the false notice was created and circulated.

The police investigation now provides a clearer account of how investigators linked the online material to a particular social media account.

The development is significant because false information involving financial institutions can have consequences beyond reputational damage.

A fabricated shutdown announcement can potentially trigger unnecessary withdrawals, interrupt customer confidence and create pressure on payment platforms even when their systems remain fully operational.

In Nigeria, fintech platforms such as OPay have become an important part of everyday financial activity, particularly for digital transfers, payments and other electronic transactions.

That makes the credibility of information concerning their operations especially sensitive.

The police have therefore warned members of the public to verify information through recognised official channels before sharing or acting on sensitive claims.

The warning comes at a time when manipulated documents and misleading social media posts can travel rapidly, sometimes reaching thousands of people before the organisation named in the material has an opportunity to respond.

For OPay, the episode also underlines the reputational vulnerability of financial technology companies to false online claims.

A document that appears to carry the branding of a major financial institution can easily be mistaken for an authentic corporate notice when circulated without context.

The Nigeria Police Force said the investigation remains ongoing and that anyone found culpable will face prosecution after the process is concluded.

The police have not disclosed whether additional arrests have been made or whether other individuals were involved in producing or distributing the document.

The arrest also does not, by itself, establish that Abubakar acted alone or conclusively determine the circumstances surrounding the creation and circulation of the notice. Those matters remain subject to the ongoing investigation.

For customers, the immediate message from OPay remains straightforward: the reported shutdown was false, and customers have been advised to obtain operational updates directly from the company’s verified communication channels.

The case is a sharp reminder of how quickly a fabricated notice can become a public issue when it involves a financial service used by millions of people.

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As investigators continue to examine the origins and distribution of the document, the outcome of the case could provide a significant test of how Nigerian authorities respond to digitally fabricated corporate communications and the potentially damaging consequences of spreading false information online.