Police Trace Fake OPay Shutdown Notice to X Account, Arrest 27-Year-Old
Sunday Ehigiator The Nigeria Police Force has traced the circulation of a fake notice announcing the purported shutdown of OPay operations to an X account allegedly operated by a 27-year-old
The Nigeria Police Force has identified the source of a fake OPay shutdown notice that circulated on social media, leading to the arrest of a 27-year-old woman. Hafsat Abubakar, a graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is accused of operating an X account responsible for creating and disseminating the fraudulent communication.
The fake notice falsely claimed that OPay would cease processing transactions and account-related services starting September 1, 2026, urging customers to withdraw their funds. OPay Digital Services Limited filed a formal petition with the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) on August 31, 2026, requesting urgent investigation and apprehension of those responsible.
The NCCC conducted a digital forensic investigation, which traced the notice to an X account operated by Abubakar. On September 4, 2026, police officers arrested Abubakar, and three Apple iPhones were recovered from her as evidence.
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