NG Police Cybercrime Centre: Hafsat Abubakar OPay Fake Post Arrest

• Hafsat Abubakar was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre on September 4, 2026.
• The arrest stemmed from her alleged circulation of a forged document falsely claiming OPay was shutting down operations.
• Abubakar stated she deleted the post and publicly apologized on August 31, five days before her arrest.
• Police traced the false notice to her X account, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, following digital forensic analysis.
• She advised Nigerians to verify information before posting or resharing content on social media.

This incident highlights the severe legal consequences, specifically cybercrime charges, for individuals spreading corporate misinformation on social media in Nigeria.

Hafsat Abubakar found herself in police custody following her alleged involvement in the creation and dissemination of a fabricated document. The document falsely asserted that the fintech firm OPay was ceasing its operations. Abubakar was apprehended by the Nigeria Police on September 4, 2026, an action that came five days after she had publicly apologized and removed the contentious post from her social media platform.

The arrest was carried out by operatives from the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC). Abubakar was subsequently paraded before journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on a Thursday, where she recounted the events leading to her detention. She had been transported from her home in Zaria, Kaduna State, to the nation's capital for the proceedings. This incident highlights the serious legal repercussions associated with spreading unverified corporate information online, particularly in the context of cybercrime law enforcement in Nigeria.

According to Abubakar, her actions to rectify the misinformation were swift once OPay issued a public notice refuting the shutdown claims. She stated that she deleted the post immediately after seeing OPay's official announcement. Furthermore, she rendered a public apology on the same day, August 31, well within the deadline set by OPay. The company had given her until 11:59 PM on August 31 to remove the post and issue an apology, a deadline she met by taking down the content around 8 PM and posting her apology before 11 PM.

Abubakar explained that OPay had specifically called her attention to the false information via their official pages on platforms like Twitter (now X), mentioning her handle, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA. She maintained that she was unaware the information was false when she initially shared it and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by its dissemination. Despite her prompt compliance and apology, she was arrested on September 4, 2026, after OPay filed a petition against her, indicating that a retraction does not necessarily negate potential legal consequences for corporate defamation on social media.

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) initiated an investigation following the circulation of the fake OPay shutdown notice. CSP Ani Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed during a press briefing held on a Wednesday in Abuja that NPF-NCCC operatives conducted digital forensic analysis and online tracing. This comprehensive exercise aimed to pinpoint the original source of the false notice and identify all individuals responsible for its spread.

The police investigation successfully traced the publication back to the X handle @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, which was definitively linked to Hafsat Abubakar. Consequently, operatives from the NPF-NCCC proceeded with her arrest. This case underscores the active enforcement of cybercrime law in Nigeria, demonstrating the capabilities of agencies like the NPF-NCCC in identifying and apprehending individuals involved in social media misinformation, even when posts are subsequently deleted.

The Hafsat Abubakar OPay fake post arrest serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for individuals to verify information before sharing or resharing content on social media platforms. Abubakar herself, while being paraded, offered this advice to the public, urging Nigerians to always confirm the veracity of information to avoid similar predicaments. Her experience illustrates that even a quick retraction and apology may not prevent legal action, especially when a corporate entity perceives significant damage from false claims.

This incident highlights the severe legal consequences, specifically cybercrime charges, for individuals spreading corporate misinformation on social media in Nigeria. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the potential legal ramifications of online activities, particularly concerning sensitive corporate information. The proactive stance taken by the Nigeria Police Cybercrime Centre OPay in this matter signals a robust approach to combating social media misinformation in the country.

This incident underscores the severe legal consequences, specifically cybercrime charges, for individuals spreading corporate misinformation on social media in Nigeria, even if they retract and apologize. Lawyers should advise clients on the critical importance of verifying information before sharing and developing robust social media policies to mitigate such risks, while compliance officers should note the active enforcement by agencies like NPF-NCCC.

Source: Reporting based on original coverage by Punch Newspapers.