The Nigerian Army has alerted members of the public to be wary of fraudsters, otherwise called yahoo boys, who are using the names and photos of senior military officers to carry out their nefarious activities on social media platforms, particularly Facebook.
It cited cases of the fraudsters impersonating the Deputy Chief of Standards and Evaluation (Army), Major General Raymond Utsaha, and their use of the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Bamidele Alabi’s photograph in fake social media handles.
In a statement issued on Sunday via its official X handle, the army said the accounts were created with the intention of deceiving and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public through false representations and unauthorised online engagements.
“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 the public to disregard any communication, friend requests, financial solicitations or unofficial engagements originating from suspicious accounts.
It further reiterated that senior military officers do not conduct official transactions, award contracts, request financial assistance or handle sensitive official matters through personal social media platforms or unofficial online channels.
“The general public is urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious accounts or activities to the appropriate security agencies,” the statement added.
The army also said it would continue to monitor and take necessary measures against individuals or groups involved in cyber impersonation and related fraudulent activities.
