By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested 27-year-old Hafsat Abubakar over the alleged creation and circulation of a forged document claiming that OPay Nigeria Limited was shutting down its operations.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this on Wednesday, 9 September, 2026, during a press briefing at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja.
Iniedu said the arrest followed a petition submitted by OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026, through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.
He said the company requested an investigation into the creation and circulation of the document, as well as the tracing and arrest of those responsible.
According to Iniedu, the NPF-NCCC deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the document and trace its origin to a post on the X account, @Hafsat_ER_ABBA, which police said was operated by Abubakar.
“Upon receipt of the approved petition, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NPF-NCCC, deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the content, which was traced to a post on the X handle, @Hafsat_ER_ABBA, registered and operated by one Hafsat Abubakar,” he said.
Iniedu said operatives arrested Abubakar on September 4, identifying her as a 27-year-old graduate of Library and Information Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The arrest followed reports circulated on social media claiming that OPay would suspend its operations from Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
The reports alleged that the fintech would embark on an indefinite break and stop processing transactions and account-related services. They also urged customers to withdraw their funds ahead of the purported shutdown, raising concerns among some users.
OPay subsequently dismissed the reports as false and malicious, assuring customers that it had no plans to suspend its operations.
“OPay is not going on break by September. We’re here, and we’re going nowhere!” the company said in a social media post.
The fintech urged customers to disregard unofficial information and rely on its verified social media platforms for updates.
“True OPay users know how to identify our official communications. Take a closer look at the viral post, and you’ll spot the red flags,” it said.
OPay also advised customers to verify information before sharing it, particularly when such claims concern their finances or accounts.
“Always verify before you share. Filter the noise!” the company said.
The police said the investigation into the alleged forgery and circulation of the document was ongoing.
