Lady Arrested for Spreading Fake OPay Shutdown Notice

Hafsat Abubakar was arrested in connection with a forged notice claiming that fintech firm OPay was shutting down its operations. She stated that she removed the post and publicly apologized on the same day OPay flagged it, yet was taken into custody five days later.

Abubakar spoke to journalists while being paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, explaining that OPay tagged her X handle, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, demanding the post's removal and an apology before 11:59 PM on August 31. She complied, taking the post down around 8 PM and issuing an apology before 11 PM, expressing regret for the misinformation.

Despite her compliance, operatives from the NPF-NCCC arrested her at her home in Zaria, Kaduna State, on September 4, 2026, stating that OPay had filed a petition against her. CSP Ani Iniedu confirmed the arrest and the ongoing investigation into the fake notice's source and its dissemination.