The National Judicial Council (NJC) has issued a warning regarding a concerning trend where retired judicial officers are being targeted by fraudsters aiming to exploit them for financial gains.
The NJC noted that the fraudsters have been relentlessly contacting retired judicial officers across the nation, falsely claiming that payments can be expedited for their retirement benefits through monetary transactions.
A statement in Abuja by NJC’s Director of Information, Barrister Soji Oye, unequivocally disassociated the Commission from these fraudulent activities.
The statement urged retired judicial officers to remain vigilant and cautioned them against falling victim to the deceitful tactics employed by these unscrupulous individuals.
“The attention of the National Judicial Council has been drawn to the incessant phone calls being made to retired Judicial Officers by some unscrupulous individuals demanding payments to fast-track the processing of their retirement benefits,” the statement read.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to upholding integrity and transparency within the judiciary, emphasizing that it would never demand any form of payment from retired judicial officers to expedite the processing of their retirement benefits.
“The public is hereby advised to be wary of and report such calls to the Pension Department of the Council for appropriate action,” the statement continued.
The statement said this alarming development underscores the importance of heightened awareness and caution among retired judicial officers.
With retirement benefits being a critical aspect of post-service life, NJC noted that it is imperative that individuals remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
“As the NJC continues to investigate this matter, retired judicial
officers are encouraged to exercise caution and refrain from engaging
with any unsolicited communications that request monetary transactions
in exchange for purported services related to their retirement benefits,” the statement urged.