The Nigerian Army has cautioned the public against fraudulent social media accounts impersonating senior military officers on online platforms, especially Facebook.
In a statement released on Sunday through its official X handle, the army disclosed that fraudsters had opened fake accounts impersonating the Deputy Chief of Standards and Evaluation (Army), Major General Raymond Utsaha, while using the photograph of the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Bamidele Alabi.
The Army explained that the accounts were created to deceive and defraud unsuspecting members of the public through false representations and unauthorised online interactions.
“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 urged the public to ignore any communication, friend requests, financial solicitations, or unofficial interactions originating from the accounts.
It also reaffirmed that senior military officers do not carry out official transactions, award contracts, seek financial assistance, or manage 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 further stated that it would continue to monitor and take appropriate action against individuals or groups involved in cyber impersonation and other related fraudulent activities.