By Dayo Omoogun
The Director of Corporate Communications at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Isaac Okorafor, has warned unsuspecting members of the public
not to have anything to do with a fake twitter handle @YusufPhilipYila, purported to belong to the Bank’s Director, Development Finance Department, Mr. Philip Yila Yusuf being used to woo loan seekers to enter into correspondence with the impostor.
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.
“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 indirect interactions with prospective or successful applicants”, Okorafor said.
“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 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 messages 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.