Police Arrest 27-Year-Old Woman Over Fake OPay Shutdown Notice

Police Arrest 27-Year-Old Woman Over Fake OPay Shutdown Notice

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Hafsat Abubakar, over the alleged creation and circulation of a forged document claiming that OPay was preparing to shut down its operations in Nigeria.

The arrest was announced on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, during a briefing at the National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.

According to the police, the case began after OPay Digital Services Limited submitted a formal petition on August 31 requesting an investigation into the origin of the document and the identification of those responsible for producing and circulating it.

The document was designed to look like an official OPay communication and claimed that the company would stop processing transactions and account-related services from September 1. It also advised customers to withdraw their funds.

OPay quickly rejected the message, describing it as false and misleading. The company urged customers to rely on its verified communication channels for information about its operations.

The false notice nevertheless created concern among some customers. Reports at the time indicated that some OPay users moved money out of their accounts after seeing the message, showing how quickly an unverified financial claim can affect people's behaviour.

OPay subsequently threatened legal action against an X user identified as Cute Hafserh, whose account was associated with the circulating publication. The company demanded that the post be removed, retracted and followed by an apology. The user later deleted the publication and acknowledged that the shutdown claim was false and misleading.

The police investigation later took the matter further.

Iniedu said NCCC investigators deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the forged document and trace its source. According to the police, the publication was traced to an X account operated by Hafsat Abubakar.

Police operatives subsequently arrested Abubakar on September 4.

The police identified her as a 27-year-old graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Authorities have not said that the investigation has been concluded, and the case remains under investigation.

The development is another reminder of how quickly false information can spread when it involves financial institutions.

A fake announcement telling customers to withdraw their money is not just an ordinary social media rumour. When people believe it, they may immediately move funds, stop using a service or begin circulating the claim to others.

The case also highlights why social media users need to verify financial information before reposting or forwarding it. OPay had already publicly denied the shutdown claim before the police investigation led to the arrest.

For now, Abubakar has been arrested over the alleged offence, but an arrest is not a conviction. The police say investigations are continuing and that anyone found culpable will face prosecution.

The bigger lesson is simple: a message can take only seconds to share, but the consequences of spreading false information about people's money can be far more serious.

If you receive a viral message claiming that your bank or fintech is shutting down, would you verify it first or forward it to someone you trust?