Army Warns Public Against Fake COAS Social Media Accounts.

The Nigerian Army has cautioned members of the public against fraudulent social media accounts falsely claiming to belong to, or represent, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu.

In a statement released by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, via the Nigerian Army’s official X platform on Friday, the Army said it had recorded a worrying rise in the activities of individuals creating and operating fake online profiles in the name of the Army Chief for deceptive purposes.

The Army clarified that the Chief of Army Staff does not operate or maintain any official social media account on any platform, stressing that any profile suggesting otherwise should be treated as fake and ignored.

According to the statement, the fraudulent accounts are often used to mislead unsuspecting members of the public, solicit money, and spread false information under the guise of the Nigerian Army.

The Army advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and to avoid engaging with, responding to, or sharing content from such accounts, warning that interaction could expose individuals to scams and other criminal activities.

It further disclosed that steps are already being taken to identify and apprehend those responsible for creating the fake accounts, with the intention of prosecuting them in line with existing laws.

The statement reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property, as well as defending the country’s territorial integrity, in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.