Hafsat Abubakar Arrested for Sharing False OPay Notice

Hafsat Abubakar was arrested on September 4, 2026, for circulating a forged notice claiming that fintech company OPay had ceased operations. During her parade at the Force Headquarters, she stated that she acted in good faith and was unaware that the information was fabricated.

Following OPay's public flagging of her account, she apologized but was arrested five days later. The Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre initiated a digital forensic investigation after the false notice circulated online, which ultimately traced the publication back to Abubakar.

CSP Ani Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer, confirmed the investigation's findings during a press briefing on September 9, 2026. Abubakar urged Nigerians to be cautious about the content they share on social media platforms, acknowledging that she only realized the post's falsity after OPay flagged her account.