THE North East Development Commission (NEDC) has alerted the general public, prospective applicants and stakeholders to a fraudulent message circulating about a purported education support fund for master’s degree students.

In a release issued on Friday, in Abuja, the NEDC management stated that “The information currently circulating regarding an alleged NEDC Education Support Fund for MSc Students, including the stated requirements and purported submission location at the NEDC Office, Polo, Maiduguri, is false and unauthorised.”

The commission has therefore completely disassociated itself from the alleged scheme and warned citizens that the circulating information, which details specific application requirements and a purported document submission location at its Polo, Maiduguri office, is entirely false.

The intervention agency clarified that it is not currently receiving applications for any such educational support fund, as falsely claimed by the viral message.

It strongly advised members of the public to disregard the misleading information to avoid being defrauded.

Furthermore, the commission cautioned citizens against falling victim to identity theft by submitting sensitive personal data and documents to unknown scammers.

“Members of the public are therefore advised to disregard the information completely and refrain from submitting personal documents, including NIN slips, admission letters, identity cards or indigene certificates, to individuals or locations claiming to be acting on behalf of NEDC in connection with the purported programme,” the statement read.

Urging Nigerians to remain vigilant against fraudulent schemes and the unauthorised use of its name and identity, the NEDC management directed stakeholders to rely solely on its official website, verified communication channels, and official announcements for authentic information regarding its statutory programmes, interventions, and opportunities.