Hafsat Abubakar arrested for spreading false OPay shutdown claims

Hafsat Abubakar, a 27-year-old woman, was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre for circulating a false notice claiming that the fintech company OPay Digital Services Limited had shut down its operations.

Speaking at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Abubakar stated that she had deleted the post and issued a public apology on the same day she saw the notice on X (formerly Twitter). She explained that she was unaware the information was false at the time of posting. Despite her apology, she was arrested on September 4, 2026, following a petition filed by OPay.

The incident has highlighted concerns regarding the spread of unverified information on social media and its potential to cause panic among users of digital financial services. Abubakar has since advised the public to verify information through official channels before sharing content online.