OPay Involves Police and DSS in Crackdown on Fake Shutdown Rumors

Digital financial services provider OPay has escalated its response to a viral misinformation campaign by working directly with law enforcement agencies to prosecute those behind fake news regarding an alleged company shutdown.

The panic began when a fabricated notice, designed to look like an official corporate release, circulated across online platforms, falsely claiming that OPay would stop operations and suspend transactions indefinitely starting September 1, 2026.

Telling millions of everyday Nigerians to urgently withdraw their money, the fake graphic spread rapidly across chat groups, causing panic among small business owners, market vendors, and digital banking users.

The formal corporate and legal updates were detailed during a press conference and town hall meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

OPay management confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria flagged the viral document as complete fraud. Meanwhile, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force launched active investigations to identify the original creators and key distributors of the fake notice.

OPay’s legal team confirmed that evidence has been handed over to security agencies and that legal court proceedings against suspects have already commenced.

The underlying reason OPay acted decisively is that spreading false financial rumors can trigger panic bank runs that threaten the stability of the national payment system.

Millions of citizens rely on mobile apps every single day to buy food, run small shops, and transfer money to family members.

When unverified graphics and false claims spread online, everyday people panic and try to move their cash at once. By taking strong legal action alongside national security agencies, OPay is working to protect customer deposits, maintain public trust, and ensure that those who spread harmful falsehoods face court consequences.

Confirming that the platform remains completely operational and that all services are working normally across the country, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer of OPay Dotun Adekunle said at the town hall meeting that “OPay is here, OPay is operating, and OPay is going nowhere. The message that is circulating online is false. It did not come from OPay”.

Emphasizing that law enforcement authorities are actively tracking down the individuals responsible for creating and sharing the false notice, Chief Legal Counsel at OPay Akinfolabi Rokosu stated that “while the DSS and the Nigeria Police, among the relevant law enforcement agencies, are currently and intensively investigating this matter, we are fully cooperating with the ongoing investigations and have provided the necessary evidence to identify those responsible“.

Warning that people who create or share malicious claims about regulated financial institutions will face strict legal prosecution, Akinfolabi Rokosu added that “OPay is taking legal action against those responsible for deliberately creating and circulating this false information. We will pursue them and ensure that the law takes its full course. There will be no impunity”.

By taking legal action through security agencies and courts, OPay is demonstrating its commitment to system security and user trust.

Ensuring that official financial communications are verified keeps digital money services safe, reliable, and accessible for everyone.