A fake Facebook account impersonating the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, has sparked concern among government officials. The Ministry issued a public warning on Friday, alerting Nigerians to the fraudulent activity.
“This fraudulent account is being used to spread false information, promise contracts, solicit help, and offer enticing rewards to unsuspecting members of the public,” said Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry, in a statement released in Abuja.
The Ministry has firmly distanced itself from the scam, urging citizens to ignore any communications coming from the impersonator. “The Ministry firmly disassociates itself from this impersonation and urges the public to disregard any messages from the fake account, which is not an official channel,” Ebienfa clarified.
He also made it clear that the top civil servant has no presence on social media. “It is important to clarify that the Permanent Secretary does not operate or own any social media account,” he added.
The public has been advised to avoid engaging with scammers or falling for their traps. “These schemes are deceptive and harmful,” Ebienfa warned. “Do not respond to or interact with individuals or groups behind such fraudulent activities.”
He confirmed that the Ministry is collaborating with security agencies and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to track down those responsible and disable the fake account.
Reaffirming the Ministry’s stance, Ebienfa said: “We remain committed to transparency, integrity, and protecting citizens from fraud, whether online or offline.”
The Ministry has encouraged anyone who encounters suspicious messages or pages to report them immediately to the relevant authorities.
