Nigerian Army arrests impostor posing as retired Major General

The Nigerian Army has apprehended a suspected impostor, Alhaji Tijjani Abdul Rauf, for allegedly falsely presenting himself as a retired Major General and using fabricated credentials to deceive members of the public and gain undue influence.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Army said preliminary investigations confirmed that Abdul Rauf was never commissioned into the military and never attained any rank within the service. Authorities described his claims of retiring as a General as “entirely false and fabricated.”

The suspect was also accused of falsely claiming to have attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, and of being a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). According to the Army, both claims were found to be fraudulent.

Military authorities alleged that Abdul Rauf consistently used the fake status to intimidate unsuspecting civilians, including during court proceedings where he reportedly presented himself as a senior retired officer to command sympathy and influence.

During interrogation, officials said they recovered media publications that repeatedly described him as a “retired Major General,” helping him sustain the deception. One report by Premium Times allegedly referred to him as “Major General AbdulRauf Tijjani (rtd)” in a lawsuit seeking ₦8 billion in damages against the Lagos State Government and others. Another report by Independent Newspaper also described him as a retired general while covering his appeal in the same matter, which the court reportedly dismissed as incompetent and an abuse of process.

The Army stressed that no retired officer bears the name Tijjani Abdul Rauf and that no such individual ever held the rank of Major General or above within its ranks.

Condemning the act, the service said impersonation of military personnel undermines public trust and damages the integrity of genuine officers who have served the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It warned the public to verify claims of military status through appropriate channels and report suspicious representations to security agencies, adding that anyone caught impersonating military personnel or unlawfully using uniforms and badges would face prosecution.

The statement was signed by Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, who reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to professionalism, accountability, and safeguarding the integrity of its institutions.