The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Saturday charged the general public to beware of scammers parading as officers of the agency to defraud unsuspecting individuals, News About Nigeria reports.
Speaking especially to people with relatives abroad, the agency warned that there is now a new fraudulent scheme being orchestrated by impersonators posing as NDLEA officers.
In a statement released by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, he explained that these fraudsters, who parade themselves as officers of the agency, usually call families with relatives abroad to inform them that the NDLEA has arrested their relatives over drug-related crimes.
He further revealed that criminals usually ask for huge amounts of money from those who fall prey to their lies.
The statement partly reads, “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency wishes to alert members of the public, especially those who have loved ones abroad, to a new scheme by scammers who impersonate NDLEA officers and call unsuspecting citizens to inform them of the arrest of their relatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja Lagos or any other international airport in Nigeria with illicit drugs upon arrival in the country.
“After throwing the family members into panic, the scammers then make a demand of millions of naira to facilitate the release of such persons from NDLEA custody. We have thwarted a number of such bids in the past when family members called the agency’s official contacts for help or clarification.”
He further revealed that there is an ongoing case of such, with an audio recording of a purported NDLEA officer negotiating the payment of N5 million with a female relative for the release of a US-based Nigerian man purportedly arrested at the Lagos airport on Friday, March 22nd, upon his arrival with a ‘contraband.’
Babafemi also revealed that contrary to the audio, proper investigation by the NDLEA shows that the supposed arrest is the handiwork of scammers and has nothing to do with the NDLEA or any of its officers.
