The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has alerted Nigerians to a fraudulent scheme in which scammers are using the identities of senior officials to deceive members of the public with fake offers of forfeited vehicles at giveaway prices.
The warning was issued on Friday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said the agency had uncovered the activities of fraudsters impersonating its officials, especially the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna.
The agency said the suspects have been sending fake private letters and messages claiming that seized vehicles are available for purchase through special auction arrangements.
NDLEA described the offers as fraudulent, stressing that they were designed to swindle unsuspecting victims of their money.
It explained that no official of the agency is authorised to privately allocate or sell forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.
The agency stated that all vehicles and assets forfeited as proceeds of drug-related crimes are disposed of only through public auction conducted by government-registered auctioneers.
It added that any genuine auction exercise is announced in national newspapers and through the agency’s official communication channels in line with legal and public procurement procedures.
The statement urged members of the public to disregard and report any private letters, text messages or social media posts claiming to originate from Barrister Shadrach Haruna or any other NDLEA official.
The agency said, “The public is hereby notified that these offers are a complete scam. The Agency wishes to categorically state that these fraudulent offers are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money.”
NDLEA also appealed to Nigerians to report anyone making such offers to the nearest command of the agency or through its official communication channels.
“Do not fall victim to these criminal elements. If you are approached with such fraudulent offers, please report immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or via our official communication channels,” the statement added.