The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, has warned the public against a fraudulent procurement scheme falsely linked to its Chief Medical Director (CMD), Professor Yusuf Bara Jibrin.
In a statement issued on Friday, the hospital’s Head of Public Relations, Usman Koli, disclaimed the scam, cautioning individuals to beware of impersonators misrepresenting the CMD both online and offline.
“ATBUTH Bauchi wishes to alert the general public about fraudulent activities perpetrated by individuals impersonating the CMD, Professor Yusuf Bara Jibrin,” Koli stated.
He explained that the scammers falsely claim the hospital is awarding contracts for the purchase of 200 HP laptops, allegedly approved by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare as part of its digitisation program.
Koli further revealed that the fraudsters have been using the phone number ‘08167069701’ to contact unsuspecting individuals via WhatsApp, phone calls, and SMS, in an attempt to deceive and extort them.
“We categorically state that ATBUTH Bauchi has not initiated any such procurement process through unsolicited individual offers. The CMD or any official of the hospital does not award contracts through unofficial channels,” he clarified.
The hospital urged the public to remain vigilant and ignore any fraudulent messages. “Anyone contacted with such false claims should report to the appropriate authorities immediately,” Koli advised.
The statement reassured that the hospital management is working closely with security agencies to track, apprehend, and prosecute those behind the scam.
