NDLEA warns against scammers impersonating officers in fraudulent schemes

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a public alert regarding a concerning new fraudulent scheme perpetrated by individuals posing as NDLEA officers.

In a statement released on Saturday, Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy for NDLEA, highlighted the deceptive tactics employed by these scammers, particularly targeting citizens with relatives abroad.

According to Babafemi, the scammers initiate phone calls to unsuspecting individuals, claiming that their relatives have been arrested at international airports such as the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja Lagos, for possession of illicit drugs upon arrival in Nigeria.

Exploiting the panic of these family members, the fraudsters demand exorbitant sums of money, often in the millions of naira, to facilitate the release of the purportedly detained persons from NDLEA custody.

“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,” the statement read.

Babafemi emphasized that the agency has encountered several instances of such fraudulent attempts in the past. He urged individuals who receive such calls to reach out to the official contacts of NDLEA for assistance or clarification.

“In the past, we have thwarted a number of such bids when the family members called the agency’s official contacts for help or clarification,” he added.

Highlighting a recent incident under investigation, Babafemi mentioned a case where a Nigerian man based in the US had his photo circulated alongside an audio recording of a purported NDLEA officer negotiating a payment of N5 million with a relative for the man’s release. However, investigations revealed that the scenario was fabricated by scammers.

“Our investigation has also shown that the current incident is the work of scammers. No NDLEA officer is involved in the audio conversation, and the person whose photo is attached to the audio recording being circulated is not in our custody at MMIA or any of our commands,” Babafemi clarified.