Nigerian Army Arrests Man For Allegedly Impersonating A Retired Major General

The Nigerian Army has arrested a man, Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf, for allegedly impersonating a retired major general.

In a statement on Wednesday, Appolonia Anele, the acting director of army public relations, said preliminary investigations revealed that Abdul Rauf was never commissioned in the Nigerian Army and never held the rank of general or retired from service.

Anele added that the suspect also falsely 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,” she said.

The army said Abdul Rauf used these false credentials to intimidate people and gain undue respect, including in court cases where he presented himself as a retired senior officer.

Anele said media reports published in two national newspapers were recovered during interrogation, in which the suspect was repeatedly described as a retired major general.

“One of such reports 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,” she said.

“Another report 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.”

The army confirmed that no retired officer by that name exists and that no officer with such an identity has ever held the rank of major general or higher.

“Members of the public are hereby urged to verify claims of military status through appropriate channels and report any suspicious representations to security agencies,” she added.

“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.”

Anele reaffirmed the army’s commitment to professionalism, integrity, and accountability in defending the country.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Nigerian Army recently identified a man named Shariff Umar as the principal coordinator behind recent bombing attacks in the region.