Woman Arrested for Sharing Fake OPay Shutdown Notice

Hafsat Abubakar was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre for allegedly circulating a fake notice about the shutdown of OPay Digital Services Limited's operations. Abubakar expressed regret for sharing the unverified information, stating she did not confirm it with OPay or the original poster before reposting.

After OPay highlighted her post on its official social media, she deleted it and issued a public apology on September 4, 2026. Following her apology, she received a police invitation after OPay filed a petition regarding the matter.

The police received this formal petition on August 31, 2026, requesting an investigation into the fraudulent document that falsely announced OPay's shutdown. The police traced the document's circulation to Abubakar, leading to her arrest and the recovery of three mobile phones.

The document was designed to resemble an official notice from OPay, which could mislead the public and cause concern among customers. Abubakar urged Nigerians to verify information before sharing it on social media.