The arrest of a 27-year-old woman over a viral fake notice claiming that OPay was shutting down its operations has sparked heated reactions online, with Nigerians debating the alleged offence, the punishment the suspect should face and the speed of the police investigation.
Key Highlights
- Police arrest 27-year-old woman over fake OPay shutdown notice.
- Digital forensics allegedly traced the viral document to her X account.
- OPay petitioned the police on August 31 over the false publication.
- OPay confirmed its services remained fully operational.
- Nigerians divided over the arrest, punishment and police response.
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) arrested Hafsat Abubakar after digital forensic investigations allegedly linked her to an X account from which the fabricated notice was published.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed the development during a press briefing in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to the police, the investigation began after OPay Digital Services Limited petitioned the authorities on August 31, 2026, requesting the identification and arrest of those responsible for circulating the false information.
Investigators subsequently analysed the document using digital forensic tools and allegedly traced it to the X account @haifah_er_abba, which police said was registered and operated by Abubakar.
She was arrested on September 4. The police also identified Abubakar as a graduate of library and information science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The controversial document, titled: “Official Note”, claimed that OPay would stop processing transactions and account-related services indefinitely from September 1.
The notice spread across social media and messaging platforms, prompting concern among some customers before OPay dismissed it as false.
The fintech company said its services remained operational and pointed to several discrepancies in the document, including the use of an outdated logo, an incorrectly spelt version of its name and a format that did not match its official communications.
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OPay’s Head of Corporate Communications, Folayemi Joshua, urged customers to obtain information about the company’s services only through its verified communication channels.
The company’s Chief Legal Counsel, Akinfolabi Rokosu, also said OPay was cooperating with the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force in investigating the source of the fake notice.
However, the arrest has now opened another controversy online.
While some Nigerians applauded the police for quickly tracking down the alleged source of the fake OPay notice, others questioned whether the same urgency is applied to other high-profile allegations.
X user @Lordwaycore praised the police but questioned why similar attention was allegedly not being directed at allegations involving Senator Shehu Buba.
Another user, @Aiacademyhq, wrote: “Action so quick! If na bandits and kidnappers now, network go don fail. But make we no lie, playing with people’s money like that na expensive joke.”
@viperonxx argued that the suspect should face consequences, while also calling for the investigation of another individual allegedly linked to claims that OPay sponsored the publication.
@Wisdom_luqman condemned the alleged act, arguing that spreading false information about a major financial platform could affect people’s livelihoods.
@Dannymasterp went further, calling for a four-to-five-year prison sentence, arguing that such punishment could serve as a deterrent to others.
The police have warned that fabricated information concerning banks and fintech companies could cause unnecessary panic, disrupt financial transactions and damage the reputation of businesses.
The development has consequently triggered a wider debate over the consequences of spreading false financial information online and whether enforcement agencies should apply the same urgency to other controversial cases.
For now, the investigation continues, while Abubakar remains at the centre of the controversy surrounding the fake OPay shutdown notice.
