Bashir Ahmad: Urges OPay to Reconsider Haifa Abubakar Arrest

• Hafsat Abubakar was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) on September 4, 2026, for circulating a fake notice about OPay's shutdown.
• Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad appealed to OPay for Abubakar's release, stating she had deleted the post and apologized as requested.
• Ahmad questioned the necessity of the arrest given Abubakar's alleged compliance with OPay's demands.
• The NPF-NCCC traced the false notice to Abubakar's X account through digital forensic analysis.
• The incident highlights aggressive enforcement against online misinformation in Nigeria, even when individuals comply with initial demands.

This incident underscores the aggressive stance taken by Nigerian authorities against the spread of online misinformation, particularly when it impacts corporate entities.

Hafsat Abubakar was taken into custody by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) following the circulation of a false notice alleging that OPay Digital Services Limited was ceasing its operations. The NPF-NCCC confirmed Abubakar's arrest on September 4, 2026, after an investigation into the viral claim.

Police operatives initiated a digital forensic analysis and online tracing effort to pinpoint the origin and disseminators of the misleading information. This investigation successfully linked the publication of the fake shutdown notice to an X account identified as @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, which was subsequently traced back to Abubakar. The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, issued a statement on Thursday confirming these details and the subsequent arrest.

Bashir Ahmad, a former presidential aide, has publicly appealed to OPay Digital Services Limited to reconsider the arrest of Hafsat Abubakar. In a post shared on X on Thursday, Ahmad highlighted that Abubakar had acknowledged her error and, according to his understanding, had complied with OPay's initial demands to remove the offending post and issue an apology.

Ahmad questioned the necessity of the arrest, particularly if Abubakar had fulfilled the company's requests. He stated that his perspective would have been different had she refused to retract the post or apologize. He further suggested that the decision to arrest might have been influenced by public calls on social media for her detention, despite her alleged compliance. Ahmad described Abubakar as a young woman and a student who made a mistake, urging OPay to review the matter with compassion.

This incident underscores the aggressive stance taken by Nigerian authorities against the spread of online misinformation, particularly when it impacts corporate entities. The NPF-NCCC's swift action, involving digital forensic analysis and online tracing, demonstrates a robust enforcement mechanism designed to identify and apprehend individuals responsible for disseminating false information on social media platforms.

The case highlights a critical aspect of Nigeria's approach to online content regulation: even perceived compliance with initial demands for retraction and apology may not prevent further legal action, including arrest. The police's pursuit of the individual responsible for the OPay false notice legal action, despite claims of prior compliance, signals a low tolerance for online falsehoods and a readiness to prosecute offenders.

Bashir Ahmad's appeal emphasizes the importance of balancing accountability with compassion, especially when an individual has acknowledged wrongdoing and taken corrective steps. He argued that condemning the act should not equate to condemning the person, advocating for a resolution that allows the incident to serve as a lesson rather than negatively impacting a young student's future.

His plea to OPay to release Abubakar and allow the matter to conclude with a learning experience rather than a derailed life brings to the forefront the broader societal implications of such arrests. The Bashir Ahmad OPay Hafsat Abubakar arrest case prompts a discussion on the appropriate response to online errors, particularly for young individuals, and the potential for legal consequences to outweigh the initial harm caused by a false statement.

This case highlights the aggressive enforcement against online misinformation in Nigeria, even when individuals comply with initial demands for retraction and apology. Lawyers should advise clients that such compliance may not prevent arrest or further legal action, emphasizing the need for robust social media policies and careful communication to avoid legal exposure.

Source: Original reporting via Punch Newspapers