The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has advised that individuals and corporate bodies, locally and internationally, should be wary of unscrupulous elements parading themselves as officials of the corporation.
A release today in Abuja by NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said the warning came in the wake of the claim by a group of dubious individuals to be representing “a Gas and Power Committee” of the corporation, hosting a chief executive of a United Kingdom based company in a purported “office of NNPC” in Abuja recently.
The release said one of the miscreants had claimed the identity of NNPC Chief Operation Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Engr. Yusuf Usman, all in an attempt to swindle the unsuspecting company based in Salehurst, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, UK.
Mr. Ughamadu said the unsuspecting UK entity was saved from an ordeal when it reached out to the corporation’s London Office to authenticate the swindlers’ identity, following the difficulties the company had experienced in reconnecting with the conmen on telephone.
The release said one of the miscreants had given the unsuspecting UK company a fake call card of NNPC COO, Gas and Power, Engr. Usman.
The NNPC spokesperson advised individuals and corporate bodies, in their own interest, to verify the identity of any officials of NNPC from relevant units of the corporation before making commitments to avoid falling into the trap of swindlers.