By Atoyebi Nike
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has issued a strong warning to the public over a rise in cyber scams involving fake job and auction offers falsely attributed to the agency. The alert follows a recent surge in fraudulent activities across social media platforms, where impersonators pose as senior customs officials to deceive unsuspecting citizens.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, expressed serious concern about the proliferation of fake online accounts using the names and images of top officials including the Comptroller-General, spokespersons, and even retired officers to push bogus offers.
“These impersonators are creating counterfeit social media profiles and falsely claiming to facilitate employment or auction access,” Maiwada said. “Let me reiterate that the NCS does not carry out recruitments or auctions through any social media platform.”
Highlighting recent efforts to crack down on such fraudulent operations, Maiwada disclosed that Customs officials had apprehended one Mr. Okoli Okana Boniface, who allegedly posed as an aide to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in a bid to manipulate the recruitment process.
The suspect was promptly investigated by the Customs Police Unit, and findings revealed a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the exercise, he noted.
Describing the arrest as part of broader efforts to preserve the credibility of Customs operations, Maiwada reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud and misconduct.
“Investigations are ongoing to uncover further instances of impersonation and deceit,” he said.
Maiwada advised Nigerians to avoid interacting with unverified platforms and to confirm all recruitment or auction information via the official Customs website and verified communication channels.
“We urge the public to remain alert, disregard suspicious offers, and report any fraudulent activities,” he stated. “The NCS will continue to expose and prosecute those undermining public trust through deceitful means.”
