Minister of state for foreign affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has issued a public warning against online scams falsely linked to her name or purported empowerment schemes.
In a statement released on Thursday and signed by Magnus Eze, her special assistant on communication and new media, Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged Nigerians to disregard any offers or demands for payment associated with her name.
The minister revealed that scammers had created fake social media accounts impersonating her to promote fraudulent schemes. These schemes, she said, range from trade exhibitions and agricultural grants to Nollywood events, all designed to deceive and defraud unsuspecting individuals.
“Alarm! Ignore any online offers and demands for payment linked to my name, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu,” she said.
She added that her attention was drawn to the scams after several Nigerians reported losing their life savings to fraudsters posing as her representatives.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized that her official social media accounts have long histories of activity, unlike the recently created fake profiles used for scams.
“Many people have contacted me about their unfortunate experiences with these scammers on Facebook Messenger, including Nigerians in the diaspora,” she said, adding that victims include individuals in the United States.
The fraudsters allegedly claim affiliation with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture or the World Bank, promising grants ranging from ₦1million to ₦50million.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reiterated that official government business is never conducted via social media. She warned the public to ignore messages promoting fraudulent schemes or requesting payments to access funds.
“These scammers will ask you to contact a certain Dr Michael Gogo on 08133565420 and pay money into an account to access supposed funds,” she explained.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to such scams.
“I repeat, this is a scam. Please ignore their messages promoting fraudulent schemes to avoid being deceived,” she said.
