Army arrests 51-year-old suspected recruitment fraudster in Taraba

Troops of the 6 Brigade have arrested one Mr Felix Yadeh accused of allegedly defrauding members of the public of over N3.6 million under the false promise of securing recruitment slots into the Nigerian Army.

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The suspect, 51, was arrested by members of a local vigilante group at Bantaje Village in Wukari Local Government Area and handed over to soldiers at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Wukari.

This was contained in a statement issued by Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, the Acting Assistant Director of the Nigerian Army on Tuesday, May 26.

According to Muhammad, preliminary investigations revealed that Yadeh allegedly collected the sum of N3,627,000 from unsuspecting victims by posing as someone who could facilitate enlistment into the Army.

The Army spokesperson said that during interrogation, the suspect confessed that his younger brother had instructed him to collect the money as purported recruitment fees.

Items recovered from him include one Infinix Android mobile phone and N3,050 in cash.

He remains in military custody along with the exhibits as authorities continue investigations to determine the full scope of the alleged scam and identify possible accomplices.

“The Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Michael Akaliro, commended the vigilance of both the troops and members of the local vigilante group for their vigilance, professionalism and timely action which led to the arrest,” Muhammad said.

Also, Brigadier General Akaliro warned residents against falling prey to individuals claiming they can influence Army recruitment in exchange for money.

“Recruitment into the Nigerian Army is completely free, transparent, and merit-based,” he added.

The military urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities involving extortion, impersonation, or recruitment scams to the nearest security agency.