Nigeria Customs Service Issues Stern Warning Against Online Recruitment and Auction Scams

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has issued a strong warning to the public regarding a troubling surge in online scams involving fake recruitment and auction offers falsely linked to the service. The NCS urged Nigerians to exercise extreme vigilance to avoid falling victim to these fraudsters.

In a statement delivered during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, expressed deep concern over the growing trend of criminals impersonating senior customs officials on social media platforms to deceive unsuspecting citizens.

“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 stated. He unequivocally emphasized that the NCS does not conduct recruitment or auctions via social media, describing such activities as “criminal acts aimed at tarnishing the service’s reputation and defrauding innocent Nigerians.”

As part of ongoing efforts to combat such schemes, Maiwada announced that the NCS recently arrested a suspect, Mr. Okoli Okana Boniface, on June 16. Boniface was allegedly manipulating the recruitment process while falsely claiming to be an aide to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The Customs spokesperson confirmed that the case was promptly reported and thoroughly investigated by the Customs Police Unit, with findings confirming it was a calculated attempt to compromise the integrity of the recruitment exercise.

Maiwada urged Nigerians to verify all information related to recruitment and auctions exclusively through the service’s official communication channels. “We advise the public to disregard messages or offers from unverified sources and to rely solely on our verified platforms for accurate information,” he reiterated. He concluded by affirming the NCS’s commitment to “identifying, exposing, and prosecuting those who seek to compromise our operations through deceit.”