The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has dissociated himself and his office from a syndicate of fraudsters impersonating high-profile individuals to extort money under the guise of securing federal appointments.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, the SGF warned the public to be vigilant, noting that the scammers often contact unsuspecting victims with claims that they have been shortlisted for Federal Government appointments, demanding payments to facilitate such placements.
According to Odunuga, the Office of the SGF has received numerous enquiries from members of the public regarding the activities of these criminal groups.
“The fraudsters send messages requesting between ₦5 million and ₦15 million, attaching bank account details and asking recipients to forward their CVs to cloned email addresses,” the statement revealed.
Akume further disclosed that the syndicate has gone as far as cloning his voice to make phone calls, impersonating him while soliciting bribes in exchange for federal appointments.
He stressed that the Federal Government’s appointment processes are transparent and merit-based, warning Nigerians not to fall prey to any demands for money in exchange for positions.
Some of the scammers’ bank accounts, the statement noted, are domiciled in both new-generation banks and fintech mobile money platforms across the country.
While relevant security agencies have been alerted and are investigating the matter, the SGF urged Nigerians to report such fraudulent activities and exercise extreme caution to avoid becoming victims.
