The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a woman identified as Hafsat Abubakar for circulating a false notice announcing the shutdown of financial technology company OPay on X (formerly Twitter).
In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu,.on Thursday, the Force noted that it had traced the circulation of a false notice purporting to be an official communication from OPay Digital Services Limited and falsely announcing the shutdown of the company’s operations, leading to the arrest of Hafsat and the recovery of three mobile phones.
“The false communication was designed to appear as an official corporate notice, bearing OPay’s logo, corporate branding, company 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.
“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,” the statement said.
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.”
The suspect stated that she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status.
The publication reportedly recorded approximately 572,000 views within minutes of being posted.
The Force disclosed that three Apple mobile phones were recovered from the suspect as exhibits, stressing that the 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.
It added that the suspect, alongside any other person found culpable, will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Commenting on the arrest, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, commended the operatives of the NPF-NCCC for their efforts in tracing the online publication and effecting the arrest of the suspect.
IGP Disu reiterated the NPF’s commitment to combating cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation, and the circulation of false information through digital platforms.
He urged members of the public to exercise caution before acting on information circulated online, particularly information relating to financial institutions and services.
He further advised them to verify such information through the official communication channels of the concerned institution and promptly report suspicious online activities to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
