By Uche Amunike
A woman arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre over the circulation of a fake notice claiming that OPay was shutting down its operations has expressed regret, saying she shared the information without first confirming its authenticity.
The woman, identified as Hafsat Abubakar, reportedly admitted that she failed to verify the purported shutdown notice before reposting it online. She said she subsequently deleted the publication and apologised publicly after OPay called her attention to the matter.
Abubakar made the disclosure in a video recorded during her parade by the police on Thursday.
When asked whether she had contacted either OPay or the person who initially shared the information to establish its authenticity, she responded in the negative.
According to her, she only became aware of the company’s objection after OPay published a statement on its official social media platforms, identifying her name and X handle, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, in connection with the post.
She said the company asked her to remove the publication and issue a public apology, which she claimed she did on the same day.
Abubakar explained that her apology stated that she was unaware the information was false and that she regretted sharing it.
However, she said that several days after issuing the apology, she was arrested at her residence in Zaria, Kaduna State, following a petition allegedly submitted by OPay to the police.
She said the officers informed her that the company had petitioned the authorities and that an investigation into the matter was ongoing, after which she was taken to Abuja.
The police said the investigation began after the NPF National Cybercrime Centre received a formal petition from OPay Digital Services Limited on August 31, 2026.
According to the police, the petition was submitted through the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police overseeing the Force Criminal Investigations Department and concerned the creation and distribution of a fraudulent document purportedly issued by OPay.
The police said its digital forensics team subsequently traced the circulation of the document and arrested Abubakar. Three mobile phones were also reportedly recovered during the investigation.
Authorities said the disputed document was designed to appear like an authentic corporate communication from OPay. It allegedly contained the company’s logo, corporate identity, name and a purported signature and endorsement attributed to its management.
The fake notice reportedly announced that OPay would cease its operations, information which the police said could mislead customers, create unnecessary anxiety and potentially damage the reputation of the financial technology company.
Speaking after her arrest, Abubakar acknowledged that she should have verified the information before publishing or sharing it.
She urged Nigerians to exercise caution when using social media, particularly when dealing with information capable of affecting individuals, businesses or organisations.
Her advice was that people should confirm the authenticity of information before reposting it, rather than relying solely on content received from other social media users.
Abubakar also stressed that she had no intention of damaging OPay’s reputation, describing herself as a customer who uses the company’s services and holds an account with the fintech firm.
She said she would not have shared the material if she had known that it was false, adding that she had no intention of causing harm to OPay.
Expressing remorse over the incident, Abubakar apologised to the company and acknowledged the trouble that resulted from her actions.
The case highlights the potential consequences of sharing unverified information online and underscores the importance of confirming the authenticity of sensitive claims before circulating them on social media.
