Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Army has issued an urgent public warning over a growing wave of fraudulent social media accounts created in the names of senior military officers, with scammers using the rank, photos, and official titles of serving generals to deceive and defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
In a statement released on Sunday, May 24, 2026, the military authorities disclosed that fraudsters had set up multiple fake Facebook 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, as their profile picture. The accounts were deliberately designed to mislead members of the public into believing they belonged to serving senior officers, with the intention of defrauding individuals 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 stressed that its senior officers do not carry out official transactions or sensitive communications through personal social media platforms, nor do they award contracts, seek financial assistance or discuss official matters through unofficial online channels. It urged the public to ignore any message, friend request or financial demand linked to such accounts, and to report suspicious online activities to security agencies for proper investigation.
The warning follows a pattern of similar alerts issued in recent months. In January 2026, the army publicly noted a rise in fraudulent online accounts created to impersonate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, stating that the fake accounts were being used to solicit funds, spread misinformation and commit other fraudulent acts. At that time, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, clarified that the COAS does not maintain any official social media account on any platform, and warned that any request for money or assistance made in his name should be treated as a scam.
In February 2025, the army also raised alarm over fraudsters impersonating the then‑Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede. The impostors used the COAS's official portrait as profile pictures and, after fixing online meetings on Zoom, WhatsApp and Facebook, would request participants to share specific numbers displayed on their screens – numbers that were then used to defraud them. The army released a list of over 20 phone numbers linked to those scammers and urged the public to report fraudulent activities via its toll‑free hotline (193).
A similar pattern is also playing out in military training institutions. In April 2026, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) warned the public against fraudsters impersonating its Commandant, Maj. Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, on platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). The impostors were fraudulently offering fake contracts to members of the public with the intent to defraud them. The NDA clarified that it communicates with the public only through its verified channels – its website, official social media handles and reputable national newspapers – and that the commandant does not conduct official engagements through personal social media accounts.
The army has reiterated its commitment to identifying and tracking down those behind the impersonation and other related cyber fraud activities, and has vowed to prosecute them in line with extant laws. Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant, avoid engaging with suspicious accounts, and report any fraudulent social media activity to security agencies without delay.
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