By Emma Peter, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a woman, Hafsat Abubakar, in connection with the circulation of a fabricated notice falsely claiming that OPay Digital Services Limited was shutting down its operations.
The arrest followed a digital investigation into the widely circulated notice, which was designed to resemble an official communication from the financial technology company.
According to a press statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the fake notice carried OPay’s logo, corporate identity, company name and a purported signature and endorsement of the management.
The statement said the content had the potential to mislead customers, create unnecessary panic and cause members of the public to make inappropriate decisions concerning their funds.
Following the circulation of the notice, operatives of the NPF-NCCC commenced digital forensic examination and online tracing to determine its origin and identify those behind its distribution.
The investigation reportedly led officers to an X account, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, linked to Abubakar, who was arrested by NPF-NCCC operatives on September 4, 2026.
Preliminary findings indicated that the suspect initially posted the disputed notice on her X account before subsequently sharing it through another account, @CUTE_HAFSERH.
The police said she also tagged social-media influencers while accompanying the publication with the message, “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.”
During preliminary questioning, the suspect reportedly claimed that she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status before publishing it online.
The publication allegedly attracted about 572,000 views within minutes, significantly increasing the potential reach of the false information.
Three Apple mobile phones were recovered from the suspect and taken into police custody as exhibits as investigators continue to examine the devices and other evidence connected to the case.
The Force said investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the creation of the fake notice and its subsequent dissemination, as well as to establish whether other individuals were involved.
According to the statement, Abubakar and any other person found to have played a role in the offence will be prosecuted upon completion of the investigation.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, commended the NPF-NCCC operatives for successfully tracing the online publication and arresting the suspect.
The IGP reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation and the spread of misleading information through online platforms.
The Force further urged Nigerians to exercise caution when encountering information circulated on social media, particularly claims concerning financial institutions and services.
Members of the public were advised to authenticate such information through the official communication channels of the affected institution before taking any action.
The police also encouraged citizens to report suspicious online activities promptly to relevant law-enforcement authorities.
