The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has sounded a warning about a significant increase in online scams involving fraudulent recruitment and auction offers falsely associated with the agency. The public has been urged to exercise caution and avoid falling prey to these deceitful schemes.
In a statement delivered during a press briefing in Abuja, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, highlighted the alarming trend of criminals impersonating senior customs officials on social media platforms to dupe unsuspecting Nigerians.
“We have observed a disturbing rise in fake accounts bearing the names and images of the Comptroller-General of Customs, the National PRO, and even retired senior officers, all falsely claiming to offer jobs and auction opportunities,” Maiwada revealed.
He stressed that the NCS does not conduct recruitment exercises or auctions through social media, describing such fraudulent activities as “criminal acts aimed at tarnishing the service’s reputation and defrauding innocent Nigerians.”
Okay.ng reports that as part of its ongoing crackdown on these scams, the NCS recently apprehended Mr. Okoli Okana Boniface, who was accused of manipulating the recruitment process while masquerading as an aide to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“The case was promptly reported and thoroughly investigated by the Customs Police Unit. Findings confirmed it was a calculated attempt to compromise the integrity of the recruitment exercise,” Maiwada explained.
He reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on fraud and noted that further investigations are underway to identify similar fraudulent activities.
Maiwada advised the public to verify all recruitment and auction information strictly through official NCS communication channels and to disregard any offers from unverified sources.
“The NCS remains committed to identifying, exposing, and prosecuting those who seek to compromise our operations through deceit,” he concluded.
