NSCDC’s Fraudulent Facebook Account Garners 2,500 Friends

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), yesterday, alerted the public that a fake Facebook account created in its name by fraudsters has garnered over 2,500 persons as friends.

FCT NSCDC Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, said the account is unauthorized and fraudulent, warning members of the public to stay clear of the account because it has so far defrauded unsuspecting individuals, friends, families, colleagues, and associates of the Commandant since August 15.

Odumosu in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Comfort Okomanyi, said his attention has been drawn to the fraudulent account, where over 2, 500 persons are added as friends to the fake Facebook account.

He said the unauthorized and fraudulent Facebook account, which was opened by impostors immediately the Commandant took over as the FCT, Commandant on August 15, has since been used to defraud unsuspecting individuals, friends, families, colleagues and associates of the commandant.

According to him, reliable information revealed that the impostor disguises as the FCT Commandant by randomly picking his pictures online, posting and updating the Facebook page to make people believe that the account is being operated by him.

“The command was reported to have been engaging unsuspecting victims, especially personnel of the NSCDC in conversation and chats via Facebook messenger, promising to assist them with foreign training to Canada where they will be paid in dollars, as well as other juicy offers if they pay a certain amount of money as incentive to the Commandant.

“The victims were further referred to contact one unknown and non-existent Deputy Commandant of Corps, DCC Benson Odoh, for proper documentation and processing of the overseas training after the payment of N6,000 as recharge card money.”

“The Public are hereby seriously warned not to fall victim to these criminals, masquerading as the FCT Commandant on social media with the intention of defrauding them.

“The public should please note that the Facebook account is fake and not opened by the FCT Commandant. “Therefore, anyone being added are advised to henceforth, report the page to Facebook as a fraudulent account and thereafter unfriend him by existing the page.

“In addition, nobody should give any amount of money or any form of inducement for whatever favour or assistance the fraudster may be claiming to offer.

“We therefore wish to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians or anyone with useful information about the identity of the individual behind the fraudulent Facebook account to approach the FCT Command or send a message anonymously to unmask the impostor.

“The FCT Commandant is a man of principle and integrity who is committed to his constitutional assignments and the accomplishment of the Corps mandates in FCT and therefore could not have been linked to such sharp practices,” the statement added.

• Yusuf Oketola