Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has warned the public about a criminal syndicate impersonating him to defraud influential Nigerians with false promises of federal appointments.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 7, in Abuja through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, Akume revealed that scammers had cloned his voice and were using it to solicit large sums of money from unsuspecting individuals under the guise of securing them government positions.
“From information available to the office, the fraudsters cloned the voice of the SGF, using it to solicit money in return for federal appointments,” the statement read.
According to Akume, the fraudsters have also cloned the phone numbers of prominent Nigerians to boost the credibility of their scheme.
Victims are typically told they’ve been shortlisted for federal appointments and asked to pay between ₦5 million and ₦15 million to finalise the process.
READ ALSO: Support Tinubu, Drop 2027 Dreams, Akume Tells Northern Politicians
“The warning becomes necessary as the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been inundated with enquiries relating to the activities of these fraudulent individuals and groups,” the SGF noted.
Odunuga disclosed that the scammers often include fake bank account details and request CVs sent to cloned email addresses, targeting desperate job seekers.
“Senator Akume emphasized that the appointment processes for Nigerians into boards and parastatals are transparent and verifiable, urging individuals not to pay any money in expectation of securing a position,” the statement continued.
He added that some of the scammers‘ bank accounts were traced to both new generation banks and well-known fintech platforms.
Akume confirmed that relevant security agencies have been alerted and urged the public to report such fraudulent attempts.
He further advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to such schemes.