Nigeria Customs Service Alerts Public to Fake Recruitment and Auction Scams

The Nigeria Customs Service has issued a stern warning about a surge in fraudulent recruitment and auction scams circulating on social media, falsely linked to the service. The agency has called on Nigerians to remain cautious and avoid falling victim to these scams.

At a press conference in Abuja, the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, revealed that criminals have been creating fake accounts impersonating senior customs officials, including the Comptroller-General and retired officers, to deceive people.

“We have observed a disturbing rise in fake accounts bearing the names and images of the Comptroller-General of Customs, the National PRO, and retired senior officers, all falsely claiming to offer jobs and auction opportunities,” Maiwada said.

He emphasized that the NCS does not conduct recruitment or auctions through social media and described these fraudulent activities as attempts to defraud innocent Nigerians and damage the service’s reputation.

Highlighting recent enforcement actions, Maiwada disclosed the arrest of Mr. Okoli Okana Boniface, who was caught impersonating an aide to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and attempting to manipulate the recruitment exercise.

“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 stated.

Maiwada urged Nigerians to verify recruitment and auction information only via official NCS communication channels and to ignore offers from unverified sources.