The Nigerian Army says it has exposed and arrested an alleged impostor, Tijjani Abdul Rauf, who had been posing as a retired Major General and using the false identity to mislead the public and exploit the reputation of the military.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, said investigations showed that Abdul Rauf was never commissioned into the Nigerian Army, never attained the rank of General and never retired from the service in any capacity.
Anele added that the suspect also claimed to have attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, and to have received 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 Army said.
She explained that the suspect allegedly used the false credentials to intimidate unsuspecting civilians, including during court proceedings, where he presented himself as a retired senior military officer to gain undue respect and influence.
Anele revealed that during interrogation, media reports from two national newspapers were recovered, in which the suspect was repeatedly described as a “retired Maj.-Gen.”
“One of the reports by Premium Times identified him as “Major General AbdulRauf Tijjani (rtd)” in a suit he instituted against the Lagos State Government and others, seeking N8 billion in damages.
“Another report by the Independent Newspaper dated Nov. 9, 2020, also referred to him as a retired Maj.-Gen. while reporting his appeal against the dismissal of the same suit, which the court had described as incompetent and a gross abuse of court process,” she said.
Anele stressed that no retired officer of the Nigerian Army bears the name Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf, and no officer with such identity had ever reached the rank of Major General or above in the service.
She condemned impersonation, describing it as a serious offence that erodes public confidence and damages the reputation of officers who have served the country with honour.
Anele reaffirmed the Army’s resolve to safeguard the integrity of its ranks, honours and institutions, noting that it would continue working with relevant authorities to ensure impostors are brought to justice.
She also urged members of the public to verify claims of military status through appropriate channels and report suspicious representations to security agencies.
