UNILAG Warns Against Scammers Impersonating Vice-Chancellor in Online Fraud Scheme
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has issued a public alert warning against fraudsters impersonating the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, to run a fake procurement scam. According to the official statement released by the university’s Head of Communication Unit, Mrs Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, these impersonators are targeting people through social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and WhatsApp.
The fraudsters falsely present themselves as the Vice-Chancellor and attempt to lure victims into bogus laptop and computer procurement deals. They even promise a 60/40 profit-sharing arrangement, ask for upfront payments, and demand secrecy — tactics designed to exploit trust in the university’s leadership.
More alarming is the fact that they communicate through private email addresses, not official UNILAG domains, which the university warns is a major red flag.
“Let it be unequivocally clear: at no point would the Vice-Chancellor or any legitimate representative of the university conduct official business via personal email accounts or social media,” the university emphasized.
UNILAG condemned the scam, describing it as not only illegal but also a direct attack on the institution’s integrity. The university reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and competitive procurement processes, aligned with Nigerian procurement laws, and confirmed that the case has been reported to law enforcement for investigation.
Members of the public are being urged to remain vigilant and verify any suspicious communication. The university advised people to report any such incidents via the official email addresses:
“We will not tolerate the criminal misuse of our institution’s name or the impersonation of our officials,” the statement read.
The university called on the public to help protect its name and avoid falling prey to these malicious online schemes.
