The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has raised a fresh alarm over a growing scam involving the cloning of his voice and impersonation of his office to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians seeking federal appointments.
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In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, the SGF revealed that a criminal syndicate had been contacting high-profile individuals, falsely claiming they had been shortlisted for government appointments and demanding large sums of money to process their nominations.
“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 reads partly.
The scammers are also accused of cloning the phone numbers of other influential Nigerians to add legitimacy to their fraudulent scheme.
The fraudulent messages reportedly include requests for ₦5 million to ₦15 million, instructions to submit CVs to fake email addresses, and payment into bank accounts linked to both traditional banks and fintech platforms.
“They have also cloned the phone numbers of high-profile individuals to solicit funds from unsuspecting members of the public,” Odunuga said.
The SGF stressed that all federal appointments are made through transparent, verifiable, and official channels and cautioned Nigerians against making any payments in anticipation of securing such positions.
“Senator Akume emphasised that the appointment processes for Nigerians into boards and parastatals are transparent and verifiable,” the statement reiterated.
Akume confirmed that relevant security agencies have been notified and are currently investigating the matter. He urged the public to report any suspicious activity and take all necessary precautions to avoid being defrauded.
“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 statement added.
The SGF called for heightened public vigilance, urging Nigerians not to fall prey to impersonators exploiting the desire for federal appointments.
