The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has raised concerns over an alarming increase in online scams involving fake recruitment and auction advertisements falsely attributed to the agency.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, warned Nigerians to be wary of fraudulent schemes targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
“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 said.
He noted that the perpetrators often pose as senior customs officials on social media in a bid to deceive people and extort money under false pretences, and described such activities as “criminal acts aimed at tarnishing the service’s reputation and defrauding innocent Nigerians.”
Reaffirming the service’s stance, Maiwada stressed that the NCS does not carry out recruitment or auction exercises through social media platforms. He urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid engaging with unverified sources.
In a recent breakthrough against such fraudulent schemes, Maiwada revealed that the Customs Police Unit had arrested one Mr. Okoli Okana Boniface for allegedly manipulating the recruitment process while falsely presenting himself 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,” he said.
He described the arrest as a clear demonstration of the service’s commitment to maintaining the credibility of its operations and reiterated the NCS’s “zero-tolerance policy on fraud.”
“Further investigations are underway to uncover similar cases,” he added.
Maiwada called on Nigerians to verify any information related to recruitment or auctions through the official channels of the service.
“We advise the public to disregard messages or offers from unverified sources and to rely solely on our verified platforms for accurate information,” he said.
“The NCS remains committed to identifying, exposing, and prosecuting those who seek to compromise our operations through deceit,” Maiwada concluded.
