The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has alerted Nigerians to a fraudulent scheme in which scammers are impersonating senior officials of the agency to deceive members of the public with fake offers of forfeited vehicles.
In a statement issued on Friday by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that the fraudsters have been using the name of its Secretary, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to circulate fake letters and messages offering forfeited vehicles at cheap prices through purported private auctions.
The agency described the offers as a complete scam aimed at defrauding unsuspecting victims of their money.
According to the NDLEA, no official of the agency is authorized to privately sell, allocate or offer forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.
It explained that all forfeited assets are disposed of only through transparent public auctions conducted by government-approved auctioneers in line with legal and public procurement procedures.
The agency noted that genuine auction exercises are always publicly advertised in national newspapers and announced through its official communication channels.
The NDLEA urged members of the public to disregard any private letters, text messages or social media posts claiming to offer forfeited vehicles on behalf of Barrister Shadrach Haruna or any other agency official.
It also advised anyone approached with such fraudulent offers to report the matter immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or through the agency’s official communication channels.
The anti-narcotics agency reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and integrity in all its operations, warning Nigerians not to fall prey to criminal elements exploiting its name for fraudulent activities.
