NDLEA has issued a warning to Nigerians about a new scam
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a warning to Nigerians about a new scam involving impostors impersonating the agency’s personnel to defraud individuals with families abroad. According to Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, these fraudsters are exploiting a novel scheme to extort unsuspecting citizens.
The modus operandi of these scammers involves making calls to Nigerians and informing them of the alleged arrest of their relatives caught with illicit drugs upon arrival at international airports in Nigeria. After instilling panic in the family members, the impostors then demand millions of naira to facilitate the release of such persons from supposed “NDLEA custody.”
Babafemi revealed that the agency has thwarted numerous attempts of this nature in the past, when concerned family members reached out to the NDLEA’s official contacts for assistance or clarification. He cited a recent case where the picture of a Nigerian man based in the United States is being circulated along with an audio recording of a purported NDLEA officer negotiating the payment of N5 million with a female relative for the release of the US-based Nigerian man, allegedly arrested at the Lagos airport on Friday, March 22, upon his arrival with contraband.
However, the NDLEA spokesperson emphasized that the agency’s investigation has proven this incident to be the work of scammers. No NDLEA officer is involved in the audio conversation, and the individual whose photograph is attached to the circulated audio recording is not in the agency’s custody at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) or any of its commands, either on the specified date or any other day.
Babafemi advised the family members involved in this particular case not to succumb to the demands of the scammers by parting with their hard-earned money. He urged Nigerians with loved ones abroad to exercise caution and refrain from openly discussing the travel plans of their relatives to prevent criminals from exploiting such information for devious schemes.
The NDLEA has issued a warning to Nigerians about the Scam and this shows the agency’s commitment to protecting the public from fraudulent activities and reinforces the importance of verifying information through official channels to avoid falling victim to scams that prey on the vulnerabilities and concerns of individuals with relatives abroad.