Society
Beware! Fake COAS Oluyedes On Social Media, Army Lists Fraudulent Phone Numbers
across various social media platforms.
The Nigerian Army has raised concerns over the increasing number of fraudsters impersonating the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, across various social media platforms.
These imposters have been using the official portrait of the COAS as their profile picture to deceive unsuspecting individuals.
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, revealed that while impersonation attempts are not new, fraudsters have now adopted a more sophisticated approach. They organize online meetings via Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook, and other digital platforms, where they instruct participants to share specific numbers displayed on their screens. By exploiting these numbers, the imposters establish direct communication with individuals and subsequently defraud them.
The Nigerian Army has identified several phone numbers frequently used by these fraudsters, including:
09033949238, 09075323836, 09074272745, 08169257155, 08064561495, 08054138812, 09161521558, 09026515718, 09020898622, 08131333263, 09077188584, 08084529752, 08147409236, 09136497898, 09024627712, 07010119398, 09138997224, 09061549129, 08163593764, 07035272009, 09018150412, 08093524443, 08088120581.
The Army emphasized that it has official communication channels known to all officers and soldiers and urged the public to exercise caution.
People are advised to avoid engaging in any virtual meetings where the COAS’s official portrait is used as the display picture.
To curb this fraudulent activity, the Nigerian Army encourages the public to report any suspicious phone numbers linked to such scams via its toll-free call center at 193 for immediate investigation and action.
Additionally, the Army has warned both personnel and civilians to be wary of engaging in social media-based virtual meetings or calls. It reiterated that all official communications with the Army leadership must follow established protocols and procedures.
The Nigerian Army remains committed to ensuring security and urges everyone to stay vigilant against online scammers.
