Nigerian Army arrests man for military impersonation and fraud

The Nigerian Army has arrested 35-year-old Clifford Maisamari for allegedly impersonating a military officer to defraud two women in Gombe and Bauchi states of more than N700,000.

Maisamari, a native of Kaduna State, was apprehended by troops from the 301 Artillery Regiment in Gombe. He reportedly obtained over N500,000 from a businesswoman in Gombe and approximately N210,000 from a woman in Bauchi through romantic relationships and claims of financial hardship.

During questioning, Maisamari admitted to falsely presenting himself as military personnel but denied using romance specifically to defraud the victims. He stated he used the identity to conceal his personal circumstances and apologized for the impersonation. One victim reported becoming suspicious after seeing social media warnings and verifying a promotion letter with military contacts, who confirmed the document's details did not match official records.