The campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, has warned residents against suspected fraudsters impersonating him and members of his campaign team to obtain sensitive personal and financial information.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the campaign’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele.
According to the organisation, some individuals had reportedly been contacted by telephone by people claiming to represent Alli and requesting confidential information, including National Identification Numbers (NINs), bank account details and other personal data.
It described the development as an attempt to deceive unsuspecting members of the public and potentially compromise their identity and financial security.
The campaign organisation stressed that neither Alli nor his campaign team had authorised any individual to collect NINs, bank details, passwords, Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or other confidential information from members of the public.
It therefore urged anyone who receives such calls or messages to disregard the requests and verify the identity of the caller through recognised and officially verified communication channels.
The organisation also cautioned members of the public against transferring money or responding to requests for financial assistance made through unverified telephone numbers, social media accounts or other unofficial platforms purportedly associated with the APC candidate or his campaign.
It warned that disclosure of sensitive personal information could expose victims to identity theft, financial fraud and other criminal activities.
“Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious calls or messages to the relevant security agencies,” the organisation said.
According to the campaign team, it is taking the allegations seriously and will cooperate with relevant security agencies to identify and prosecute individuals found to be involved in impersonation, fraud or other criminal activities using Alli’s name.
It further urged residents to verify claims before responding to unsolicited requests and to rely only on officially verified channels for information concerning Alli and his political campaign.
The organisation reaffirmed Alli’s commitment to lawful and transparent engagement with residents of Oyo State, stressing that legitimate political engagement does not require members of the public to surrender confidential banking or identity information to unidentified callers.
The warning comes amid growing use of telephone calls, messaging platforms and social media for political communication, making verification of purported requests from candidates and campaign organisations particularly important.
