A fresh wave of fraudulent text messages is circulating across Nigeria, with unidentified individuals posing as agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to scam unsuspecting citizens. The messages, crafted to appear legitimate, claim that recipients have been selected to benefit from a fictitious “Bola Tinubu empowerment programme.”
One of the messages read:
“WELL DONE!!! You have just be gifted A Token of (N80,000) Thousand Naira From (APC) Empowerment Funds Call Mrs Grace to be Credited Now.”
The text includes a phone number and urges the recipient to call immediately in order to claim the supposed money. Investigations revealed that the number was linked to an individual born in 1970, though their full identity remains concealed.
This is not the first time such scams have surfaced. In 2024, Nigerians also reported receiving near-identical messages, in which fraudsters falsely promised cash benefits allegedly distributed by the ruling APC. The modus operandi is consistent: recipients are lured into making calls, during which scammers attempt to extract sensitive personal information or pressure victims into paying certain “processing fees.”
Cybersecurity experts warn that such tactics fall under “social engineering,” a manipulation strategy criminals use to exploit trust and urgency. Victims risk losing both personal data and money if they engage.
The APC itself has previously distanced the party and President Bola Tinubu from these fraudulent claims. In April, Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, issued a strong disclaimer after a similar wave of texts promised Nigerians “N85,000 from Bola Tinubu empowerment.”
“This is a scam, and we urge members of the public to disregard the message and refrain from calling the posted number or any numbers associated with it. We call on relevant security agencies to urgently identify and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Morka said.
Despite repeated warnings, scammers continue to exploit the APC’s name and Tinubu’s image, knowing that financial hardship in Nigeria makes citizens vulnerable to promises of quick relief.
Security analysts argue that the persistence of such schemes highlights both the scale of digital fraud in the country and the urgent need for stronger cybercrime enforcement. They recommend that Nigerians treat all unsolicited financial messages with suspicion, verify claims through official party channels, and report suspicious activity to security agencies.
For now, the so-called “Bola Tinubu empowerment” programme remains nothing more than a scam designed to prey on desperation and trust.
