Man Arrested for Defrauding Applicant in Fake Navy Recruitment Scam

The Nigerian Navy said on Friday that it had arrested a 27-year-old man, Yohanna Ahmadu, for allegedly defrauding an applicant to the service of N50,000.

The navy said Ahmadu, who was arrested in the Kubwa area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, also issued a fake navy appointment letter to his victim, identified as Adamu Ibrahim.



Our correspondent learnt that the suspect had been handed over to the police.

The Navy Director of Information, Captain Suleman Dahun, who confirmed the arrest, said in a release on Friday that recruitment into the service was free and interested Nigerians should beware of fake recruitment websites.

Dahun said, “We arrested the recruitment fraudster for allegedly attempting to defraud one Mr. Adamu Ibrahim during the last nationwide recruitment exercise. The Commander, Naval unit, Abuja, Commodore Gbolahan Olubode–Fazaz said the suspect charged his victim N50,000 and promised to enlist him in the Nigerian Navy.

“The suspect also directed the victim to the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna, promising that his boss would assist in the exercise. Ahmadu thereafter collected the victim’s passport photograph, photocopies of credentials and a urine sample for a fake test.

“The suspect demanded the sum of N50,000 from his victim before releasing a fake Nigerian Navy appointment letter which he would use to report for the training at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School, Onne, Port Harcourt. But he ran out of luck when the victim called a Naval personnel complaining of this extortion.

“He was directed to play along by promising to pay the amount upon their return to Abuja, where he was lured to a Diamond Bank branch in Kubwa and was arrested. He has been handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.”