Army arrests man over N3.6m recruitment scam in Taraba

Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected recruitment fraudster accused of defrauding members of the public of more than ₦3.6 million under the guise of securing recruitment slots into the Nigerian Army.

The suspect, identified as Felix Yadeh, 51, was arrested at Bantaje Village in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State by members of a local vigilante group and subsequently handed over to troops deployed at the Forward Operating Base in Wukari.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly obtained the sum of Three Million, Six Hundred and Twenty-Seven Thousand Naira (₦3,627,000) from unsuspecting members of the public under the false pretense of securing recruitment slots into the Nigerian Army.

“During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed that his younger brother allegedly directed him to collect the money from victims as purported recruitment fees for enlistment into the Nigerian Army,” the statement said.

Items recovered from the suspect included an Infinix Android mobile phone and ₦3,050 cash.

The army said the suspect and the recovered items remained in custody pending further investigation aimed at identifying other possible accomplices and determining the full extent of the alleged fraud.

Commending the troops and local vigilante members for their vigilance, the Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Michael Akaliro, warned members of the public against falling victim to recruitment scammers.

He stressed that recruitment into the Nigerian Army is free, transparent, and merit-based, urging residents to report suspicious individuals involved in extortion, impersonation, or recruitment fraud to security agencies.

The brigade reiterated its commitment to tackling criminal activities and protecting lives and property across Taraba State and neighbouring areas.