JUST IN:
According to a report by the Punch on Friday, September 11, 2026, Hafsat Abubakar, the woman arrested over the circulation of a fãk.e notice claiming that OPay was shutting down its operations, has expressed remorse over her actions and apologised for the consequences of the publication.
Abubakar was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre after allegedly reposting the fraudulent notice without confirming whether it was genuine.
The suspect reportedly acknowledged that she failed to verify the information before sharing it online. She later deleted the publication and issued an apology after OPay drew attention to the post through its official social media platforms.
The fåk.e notice was designed to resemble an official communication from OPay, reportedly using the company’s logo, branding, name and a purported management endorsement. It falsely suggested that the financial technology company was preparing to discontinue its operations.
Police authorities said OPay Digital Services Limited formally petitioned the National Cybercrime Centre on August 31, 2026, requesting an investigation into the creation and distribution of the document.
The police said their digital forensic investigation traced the circulation of the fraudulent material to Abubakar, leading to her arrest and the recovery of three mobile phones.
Following her arrest, Abubakar was taken from Zaria in Kaduna State to Abuja as investigations into the matter continued. She reportedly said she had not intended to cause harm to OPay and was unaware that the information she shared was false.
The suspect, who identified herself as an OPay customer, expressed regret over the incident and acknowledged the need for greater caution when sharing information on social media.
She apologised for the consequences of her actions, saying, “I regret my actions and any trouble that I have caused them. I’m very sorry.”
The incident has drawn attention to the potential consequences of circulating unverified information online, particularly when such information concerns financial institutions and could cause confusion or panic among customers.
The police investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the creation and distribution of the fraudulent notice and determine whether other individuals were involved in its circulation.
Arise news
