The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has issued a public warning after the social media accounts of its board chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, were hacked. The commission reported that fraudsters not only accessed his Instagram account but also cloned his Facebook profile, using these compromised accounts to scam unsuspecting individuals.
Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, made this known in an official statement from Port Harcourt on Monday. She explained that the criminals behind the hacking were using the chairman’s identity to spread fake proposals and defraud members of the public. These activities, she noted, have the potential to tarnish the commission’s reputation.
The statement read: “It has come to our notice that some fraudulent individuals have hacked the social media handles of the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Chiedu Ebie. The criminally-minded individuals cloned the chairman’s Facebook account and hacked his Instagram account, ostensibly to use the compromised accounts to defraud unsuspecting persons.”
The scammers were also accused of misusing the NDDC’s official name and logo to create the illusion of legitimacy. The commission has since alerted security agencies, urging them to investigate and prosecute the culprits.
While efforts are underway to recover the hacked accounts, the NDDC warned the public to stay cautious. It emphasized that anyone who engages with these impostors does so at their own risk.
The commission also advised individuals to verify any dealings through its official website and verified social media accounts to avoid being scammed.
