Police Cybercrime Centre Arrest Female X User Over Viral OPay Shutdown Hoax

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested a woman identified as Miss Hafsat Abubakar for circulating a fake notice claiming that OPay Digital Services Limited would shut down its operations.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

The Force said Miss Abubakar was arrested on September 4, 2026, following a digital forensic investigation by NPF-NCCC operatives.

The false notice reportedly garnered about 572,000 views within minutes of being posted on X formerly Twitter.

According to the police, the false notice was designed to look like an official OPay communication. It carried the company’s logo, corporate branding, name, and a purported management signature and endorsement.

The debunked information falsely announced that OPay’s operations would shut down by September 1, a claim the police said was capable of misleading the public and causing unnecessary concern among customers.

The NPF-NCCC said its investigation traced the notice to an X account, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, linked to Miss Abubakar.

She was also said to have shared the notice through another X account, @CUTE_HAFSERH, where she tagged social media influencers and urged users to “REMOVE YOUR MONEY NOW.”

During questioning, the suspect claimed she obtained the notice from a WhatsApp status. Three Apple mobile phones were recovered from her as exhibits.

The police said investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the creation and dissemination of the false notice and to establish whether other individuals were involved.

Miss Abubakar and any other persons found culpable will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu, commended the NPF-NCCC operatives for tracing the publication and effecting the arrest.

Mr. Disu reiterated the police commitment to tackling cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation and the spread of false information online.

The Nigeria Police urged members of the public to verify information circulated on social media, especially claims concerning financial institutions and services.

They advised that such claims should be confirmed through the official communication channels of the organisations involved before taking any action.