A 27-year-old woman, identified as Hafsat Abubakar, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre over an alleged fake notice claiming that OPay was shutting down operations in Nigeria.
The fabricated notice, which circulated widely online, told OPay customers to withdraw their money because the platform would allegedly stop processing transactions from September 1, 2026.
But there was one problem:
It was completely fake.
OPay quickly debunked the notice, pointing out red flags including an outdated logo, a misspelt brand name and a design that did not match its official communications. The company also alerted law enforcement authorities.
According to the police, digital forensic tools were used to trace the document to an X account allegedly operated by Abubakar. She was arrested on September 4.
The police say the investigation is still ongoing and warned that digitally fabricated information capable of causing public panic, financial disruption or reputational damage can have serious consequences.
And perhaps the biggest lesson here is for all of us:
Not everything that lands in your WhatsApp group deserves a forward.
A convincing flyer is not proof.
A familiar logo is not proof.
Thousands of people sharing it is not proof.
Verify first. Share later.
