The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has described as fraudulent the operations of a twitter handle, @YusufPhilipYila, purported to belong to the Bank’s Director, Development Finance Department, Mr. Philip Yila Yusuf.

According to CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, the impostor handle has been posting messages related to the Bank’s N50 billion Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) with the intent of wooing unsuspecting loan seekers and owners of small-scale businesses to enter into correspondence with the owner of the fake handle.

Okorafor warned unsuspecting members of the public not to have anything to do with the said twitter handle.

According to him, “Although the CBN, through the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB), has indeed disbursed loans to successful beneficiaries under its COVID-19 Targeted Credit Facility, none of the Bank’s officials engages in direct interactions with prospective or successful applicants.

“We therefore find it embarrassing that Mr. Yusuf has continued to be inundated with personal calls relating to messages from the impostor handle

“For the avoidance of doubt”, he continued, “our Director, Development Finance Department, Mr. Philip Yila Yusuf, does not currently own a twitter handle. Therefore, members of the public, particularly households, micro enterprises and owners of small and medium-scale businesses are advised to desist from interacting with the said handle: @YusufPhilipYila. The massages are fake and anyone who enters into correspondence with them does so at his or her own risk,” Okorafor added.

He advised prospective applicants to approach the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch nearest to them or tweet at @cenbank or @NirsalMFB for clarification on the procedure for accessing the TCF or any of the CBN-related loans.

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