The Nigerian Army has alerted the public to the activities of fraudsters impersonating senior military officers on social media platforms to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
The army disclosed that fake Facebook accounts had been created in the names of top military officers, warning citizens to avoid any dealings with such accounts.
In a statement released on Sunday through its official X account, the army said the fraudsters created accounts bearing the name of the Deputy Chief of Standards and Evaluation (Army), Raymond Utsaha, while using the photograph of the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Bamidele Alabi.
According to the statement, the fake profiles were designed to deceive members of the public through fraudulent online interactions and false representations.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to categorically state that the said Facebook accounts are fake and were created with malicious intent to defraud individuals through false representations and unauthorised online engagements,” the statement read.
The army advised Nigerians to ignore any friend requests, financial demands, or unofficial communications originating from the accounts.
It also stressed that senior military officers do not conduct official business, request financial assistance, award contracts, or handle classified matters through personal social media platforms or unofficial online channels.
The statement further urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious online activities or accounts to relevant security agencies.
The army added that it would continue monitoring cyberspace and take necessary action against individuals involved in impersonation and internet-related fraud.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over the increasing use of fake social media accounts by cybercriminals to target unsuspecting Nigerians.