Fayemi disowns phony Facebook accounts

The minister of solid minerals development, Kayode Fayemi, on Monday said his attention has been drawn to unscrupulous activities of some individuals who use phony Facebook accounts in his name to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

“These fraudsters operating through different phony Facebook accounts with the photograph of the minister usually use these platforms to advertise fraudulent financial aid programmes, business proposals and other nefarious activities,” according to a statement issued by Olayinka Oyebode, the minister’s special assistant on media.

The statement further read that, in view of the possible spread of this obnoxious act and the need to forestall unsuspecting members of the public from falling prey to these criminal-minded individuals, it has become imperative the minister of solid minerals development to dissociates himself and his office from any transaction whatsoever on Facebook, Whatsapp or any other social media platform. It also stated that the minister does not have anything doing with a so called Mavrodi Mondial Movement (MMM) or any other online financial aid community, projects or contracts and has no hands in any fraudulent sale of application forms online and otherwise.

Fayemi said he attaches utmost level of professionalism and seriousness to his official duties and the business of government, and that he will not ask anyone to do official transaction through private Facebook accounts. The ministry of solid minerals development has its official website, though presently under review, where relevant information on the activities of the ministry and the solid minerals sector could be sourced. Members of the public have therefore been urged to refrain from transacting official business with faceless individuals on Facebook or any other social media platform.

“Impostors and other criminal elements involved in this nefarious act of creating fake Facebook accounts to defraud citizens are warned to desist from such or risk being apprehended by law enforcement agencies,” the minister warned.