Police arrested a 27 year old woman in Abuja for creating a fake letter claiming OPay was shutting down its money business.
Police officers from the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre have caught a 27 year old woman named Hafsat Abubakar for making and spreading a fake letter that claimed the popular money app OPay was shutting down operations.
Police bosses announced her arrest during a special meeting with reporters on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, inside the Cybercrime Centre headquarters in Abuja.
The young woman, who finished studying Library and Information Science at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, was arrested by computer police officers on September 4, 2026.
Officers used powerful computer tools to follow the digital tracks of the fake message until it led straight to her social media page on X.
The trouble started on August 31, 2026, when OPay company managers wrote an official letter asking the police to catch anyone spreading lie messages that could scare millions of Nigerians who use their money app.
The fake letter claimed that OPay would stop working completely and urged customers to quickly take out all their money.
This lie caused fear among market women, drivers, and small business owners who use OPay every day to send money.
Police officers explained that spreading fake news about bank companies is very dangerous because it can make people panic and ruin good businesses.
Explaining how police computer experts tracked down the suspect, the police spokesperson gave clear details to reporters in Abuja.
See Also: Central Bank of Nigeria Makes Stopping Terrorism Money Main Work for All Banks
Revealing how police received the complaint and started tracking the computer post, Force Public Relations Officer Anietie Iniedu stated that “on the 31st of August 2026, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NCCC, received a formal petition from OPAY Digital Services Limited requesting urgent investigation, tracing and arrest”.
Explaining how cyber officers found the suspect online, the police spokesman added that “upon receipt of the approved petition, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NCCC, deployed digital forensic tools to analyse the content, which was traced to a post on the X handle, @haifah_er_abba, registered and operated by one Hafsat Abubakar”. Police officers are currently looking for other people who helped her make and spread the lie.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
