By Emamuzo Iboma
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday, 20 June 2025, raised the alarm over the rising cases of online scams involving fake recruitment and auction offers falsely attributed to the Service. It called on the public to remain alert and avoid falling prey to fraudsters.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja, the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, expressed concern about the increasing impersonation of 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 said.
He stressed that the NCS does not conduct recruitment or auctions through social media and described the fraudulent activities as criminal acts designed to tarnish the Service’s image and defraud innocent Nigerians.
As part of its efforts to clamp down on such schemes, Maiwada disclosed that the Service recently arrested one Mr. Okoli Okana Boniface on 16 June 2025 for allegedly attempting to manipulate 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 stated.
He noted that the arrest reflects the Service’s commitment to maintaining the credibility of its operations and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward fraudulent activities. Investigations are ongoing to uncover more individuals involved in similar schemes.
Maiwada advised Nigerians to verify any information relating to recruitment or auctions through the NCS’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 said.
Reaffirming the Comptroller-General’s stance, Maiwada concluded that the Nigeria Customs Service remains fully committed to identifying, exposing, and prosecuting those who attempt to compromise its operations through deceit.
