NPF-NCCC nabs 1 over viral Opay shutdown notice

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has 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 Abubakar and the recovery of three mobile phones.

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Anietie Iniedu,in a press statement, Thursday in Abuja, said 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.

He said 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 spokesperson said, “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 September 4, 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.”

CSP Anietie assured that, “The suspect, alongside any other person found culpable, will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.”

He said, “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commends the operatives of the NPF-NCCC for their efforts in tracing the online publication and effecting the arrest of the suspect.

“He reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation and the circulation of false information through digital platforms.”