A woman arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, NPF-NCCC, over a fake notice announcing the shutdown of OPay operations has expressed regret over sharing the information.
The suspect, identified as Hafsat Abubakar, admitted that she failed to verify the information before reposting it on social media. She made the admission in a video recorded on Thursday while she was being paraded by the police.
The arrest followed the circulation of a false notice that purported to announce the shutdown of OPay’s operations, a development capable of causing confusion and concern among users of the financial technology platform.
When asked whether she had confirmed the authenticity of the information with the person who initially shared it before reposting the notice, Abubakar admitted that she had not.
Her response indicated that she shared the information without independently confirming whether the notice originated from OPay or another credible source.
Abubakar said she only became aware of OPay’s objection after the fintech company published a notice on its official social media platforms drawing attention to the publication.
According to her, the notice mentioned her name and her X handle, @HAIFAH_ER_ABBA, in connection with the circulated information.
She said the development prompted her to take action by deleting the post and issuing a public apology after realizing that the information she had shared was false.
The police arrest came after the fake notice circulated on social media and purportedly informed members of the public that OPay would shut down its operations.
Such claims about a financial institution can generate uncertainty among customers, particularly where they concern the continued availability of financial services.
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Following the circulation of the notice, OPay used its official social media communication channels to draw attention to the publication and distance itself from the false information.
The matter subsequently came under the attention of the NPF-NCCC, which arrested Abubakar in connection with the circulation of the notice.
The development forms part of broader efforts by law enforcement authorities to tackle the spread of false and misleading information through digital platforms.
Speaking during the police parade, Abubakar expressed regret over her actions and acknowledged that she should have verified the information before reposting it.
She said she deleted the publication after becoming aware of OPay’s objection and also issued a public apology.
The suspect’s admission centres on the failure to establish the authenticity of the information before sharing it with other social media users.
The incident highlights the potential consequences of sharing unverified information online, particularly when the information concerns financial institutions, businesses or services used by a large number of people.
False claims about the operations of a financial institution can create unnecessary anxiety among customers and may influence how people make decisions about their finances.
The case also demonstrates how information can spread rapidly through social media once it is reposted without verification.
For social media users, the development underscores the importance of checking claims through official websites, verified social media accounts or other credible sources before sharing them.
Information presented as an official announcement should be independently confirmed, especially when it involves major changes to a company’s operations.
The police action and Abubakar’s subsequent expression of regret have therefore drawn attention to the responsibility of social media users to exercise caution when handling information that could affect members of the public.
The incident also reinforces the need for users to distinguish between genuine announcements from organizations and unverified claims circulating online.
The Nation
