UPDF turns guns on recruitment scammers

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has warned the public against falling for scammers on the loose that are using the name of the institution to earn from unsuspecting citizens.

But the army says it will not let the brave con men get away with it.

Maj Isaac Oware, the public information officer of the Third Division based in Moroto, said the UPDF was aware of a group of con men using its name to extort from the public.

In the scam, Mar Oware said, con men ask for up to Shs350,000 via mobile money transfers as inducement to facilitate easy recruitment.

"They do so under the guise of assisting victims to be recruited into the UPDF as Officer Cadets," he said, adding that the con men were targeting citizens from Bukedi Sub-region.

"These conmen impersonate senior UPDF and security officers who claim to originate from Bukedi or work in the region," Maj Oware added.

He said joint intelligence teams are working covertly to break through these criminal cells, apprehend, and prosecute them according to the law.

"The general public is informed that there is no ongoing recruitment into the UPDF, and recruitment into the force is free of charge," he added.

The UPDF will officially announce through mass media when the time for recruitment comes.

The public has also been urged not to be lured by the conmen and to report any such criminal activity to security and relevant authorities.