- The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has issued a strong warning to the public about fraudulent individuals impersonating its officials to scam unsuspecting Nigerians
- The commission disclosed that the scammers are falsely claiming that NDDC is offering a N50,000 monthly stipend to participants of its Youth Internship Scheme
- The NDDC urged members of the public to remain vigilant and avoid engaging with any unsolicited messages that request personal details in exchange for financial benefits
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has raised alarm over fraudulent activities by scammers who are impersonating officials of its Youth Internship Scheme to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
The commission revealed that false messages are currently circulating on social media, urging young people across the country to submit their bank account details in order to receive a supposed N50,000 monthly stipend.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 1, the Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, warned the public about the growing scam and emphasized that the commission operates a verified system for selecting beneficiaries.
“The attention of the Development Commission, NDDC, has been drawn to the fraudulent activities of scammers using the Commission’s Youth Internship Scheme as bait to defraud unsuspecting people.
“In a message circulating on various social media platforms, the fraudsters are requesting that ‘all Nigerian youths’ submit their account details to receive a N50,000 monthly stipend from the Commission as beneficiaries of its Youth Internship Scheme.
“The criminals behind this deception are luring youths into falling for their phantom scheme, hiding behind the cover of NDDC’s various youth empowerment schemes.
“Please note that the NDDC has painstakingly documented beneficiaries, drawn from the Commission’s official database. Many Niger Delta youths registered for the scheme and benefited from the programme,” the statement read.
The commission further cautioned youths and the general public to disregard such messages and rely strictly on its verified communication channels for accurate information.
“We advise members of the public, especially our youths who are seeking genuine means of livelihood, to beware of the antics of scammers and seek information only from the NDDC official channels.
“It is indeed disturbing that some mischievous individuals are trying to take advantage of our youths who are genuinely eager to be gainfully engaged in legitimate activities.
“All inquiries about our Youth Internship Scheme and other empowerment programmes should be channelled through our official information platforms.
“We also encourage beneficiaries of our programmes to verify facts on the NDDC’s official website and social media handles,” the commission added.