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A suspect, Hafsat Abubakar, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) for allegedly circulating a viral false notice announcing the shutdown of OPay Digital Services Limited in Nigeria.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Ani Iniedu disclosed this in a Thursday statement.
The police said the 27-year-old suspect was arrested on September 4 after digital forensic analysis traced the fake notice to her X handle, @haifah_er_abba.
According to the statement, the false communication was designed to look like an official OPay notice, bearing the company’s logo, branding, name and a purported management signature and endorsement.
“It falsely suggested that the company was shutting down its operations which was capable of misleading members of the public and causing unnecessary concern among customers,” the statement reads in part.
The police said investigations revealed that the suspect first published the notice on her X handle and later shared it through another handle, @cute_hafserh, where she tagged social media influencers with the caption: “Remove your money now.”
She reportedly told investigators she got the notice from a WhatsApp status.
The statement reads, “Following the circulation of the false notice, operatives of the NPF-NCCC commenced digital forensic analysis and online tracing to establish its source and identify those responsible for its dissemination.
“The investigation traced the notice to the X handle, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, linked to Hafsat Abubakar, who was subsequently arrested by NPF-NCCC operatives on 4 September 2026.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect published the notice on her X handle and subsequently shared it through another X handle, @CUTE_HAFSERH, where she tagged social-media influencers and accompanied the post with the caption, “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.” She stated that she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status. The publication reportedly recorded approximately 572,000 views within minutes of being posted.
“Three Apple mobile phones were recovered from the suspect as exhibits. Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the creation and dissemination of the false notice and to identify any other persons who may have been involved. The suspect, alongside any other person found culpable, will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.”
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended NPF-NCCC operatives for tracing and arresting the suspect.
He reiterated the force’s commitment to combating cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation and the spread of false information online.
The police urged the public to verify information relating to financial institutions through official channels before acting on it, and to report suspicious online activities to law enforcement authorities.
