Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has raised alarm over the activities of a criminal syndicate that has allegedly cloned his voice in an elaborate scam targeting high-profile Nigerians with fake promises of federal government appointments.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, Akume disclosed that the fraudsters have been impersonating him in phone calls to solicit money in exchange for nonexistent 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,” Odunuga quoted Akume as saying.
Cloned Numbers and Fake Emails
The SGF distanced himself from the activities of the scammers, revealing that they have also cloned the phone numbers of other high-profile individuals to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
According to him, the modus operandi of the syndicate involves telling victims that they have been shortlisted for top government roles and then demanding large sums of money to “facilitate” the appointments.
The statement noted that the Office of the SGF has been inundated with inquiries from individuals who received suspicious calls or messages, many of which included cloned email addresses and bank account details.
Demands Ranging from N5 Million to N15 Million
Odunuga revealed that in several cases, the scammers attach bank account details to their messages, requesting deposits between ₦5 million and ₦15 million. They also instruct victims to send their curriculum vitae to fake email addresses for processing.
“Some of the account details of the scammers made available to the office are domiciled in, but not limited to, both new generation banks and popular fintech mobile money operators in the country,” Odunuga said.
Appointment Processes Are Transparent — Akume
Senator Akume stressed that all appointment processes for Nigerians into boards and parastatals are transparent, merit-based, and verifiable. He urged citizens to avoid paying any money in the expectation of securing a government position.
He also confirmed that security agencies have been briefed on the matter and are actively working to track down the perpetrators.
“The Office of the SGF strongly advises Nigerians to report the activities of these fraudulent people to the authorities while taking all precautionary steps necessary to avoid being victims,” the statement concluded.
