By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Nigerian Army has uncovered and apprehended a notorious imposter, Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf, who falsely paraded himself as a retired Major General of the Nigerian Army, thereby misleading the public and abusing the prestige of the military institution.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Army spokesperson, Colonel Appolonia Anele, preliminary investigations revealed that the individual was never commissioned into the Nigerian Army at any time, nor did he attain the rank of General or retire from the Service in any capacity.
She said, further findings established that he fraudulently claimed attendance of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. He also falsely asserted that he was a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). All these claims have been conclusively confirmed to be entirely false and fabricated.
“The impostor was found to have consistently exploited these false credentials to intimidate unsuspecting civilians, including during court proceedings where he presented himself as a retired senior military officer to command undue respect, sympathy and influence.
“During interrogation, media reports published in two nationally recognised newspapers were recovered, in which the impostor was repeatedly referred to as a “retired Major General.”
” These misrepresentations, now established to be false, further demonstrate the extent to which the individual sustained his deception within the public space”, she averred.
According to the statement, “One of such report published by the Premium Times, falsely identified him as “Major General AbdulRauf Tijjani (rtd)” in a suit instituted against the Lagos State Government and other respondents, in which he sought ₦8 billion in damages.
” Another report by the Independent Newspaper dated 9 November 2020, also referred to him as a “retired major general” while detailing his appeal against the dismissal of the same suit, which the court had earlier described as a gross abuse of court process and incompetent in law.
She said the Nigerian Army wishes to categorically state that no retired officer of the Nigerian Army bears the name Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf, nor has any officer with such identity ever held the rank of Major General or above within the Service.
The statement strongly condemned the act of impersonation, which according to the army constitutes a grave offence, undermines public trust and tarnishes the honour and integrity of officers who have genuinely served the nation with distinction.
The Nigerian Army reiterates its commitment to protecting the sanctity of its ranks, honours and institutions and will continue to collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure that impostors and fraudsters are brought to justice. Members of the public are hereby urged to verify claims of military status through appropriate channels and report any suspicious representations to security agencies. Law abiding citizens are therefore warned on the dangers of impersonation or use of military uniforms and badges by unauthorized persons. We shall not hesitate to subject any individual engaged in such act to the full wrath of the law.
She said the Nigerian Army remains steadfast in upholding professionalism, integrity and accountability in the defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
