Navy Disowns Text Messages Calling Applicants To Report For Training

The Nigerian Navy has described as fake text messages asking applicants to report for military training at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) Onne, Rivers State.

The director of information, Naval Headquarters, Cdre Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said the fraudsters behind the text messages claimed that the exercise will commence on October 6, 2023 at NNBTS in Onne.

“The fake text message being circulated by these dubious entities further reads that, ‘Recruitment Interview conducted from 1 August 2023 – 1 September 2023, I am delighted to inform you that you have been selected to attend training at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School Onne, Rivers State with effect from 1 March 2023, Please check www.joinnigeriannavy.com for further instructions. Another message indicated 6 October 2023 as date of commencement of training’.”

He said contrary to the fraudulent message in circulation, “the Nigerian Navy (NN) has concluded the NNBTS Batch 35 Recruitment Exercise conducted from 12 August to 1 September 2023 across 3 major centres in the country namely: Lagos, Rivers and Kaduna States respectively.”

He, therefore, informed that the list of successful candidates has not been released and no form of invitation for training via text message has been disseminated by the Navy.

He decried the alarming rate of circulation of fake information by unscrupulous individuals regarding enlistment/recruitment into the NN, describing it as “quite worrisome”, adding that efforts were being made to track and arrest the miscreants.

He further urged members of the public “especially prospecting applicants who participated in the said Recruitment Exercise are strongly enjoined to always authenticate information from the NN official website https://www.navy.mil.ng and other official NN social media handles as well as other credible mainstream media platforms.
Similarly, miscreants and mischief makers are warned to desist from this unwholesome practice otherwise they will face the full wrath of the law.”