The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has alerted the public to fake auction offers being circulated using the names of top officials of the Agency.
In a statement made available to ThelensNG on Friday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the Agency confirmed that the fraudulent scheme is being orchestrated by criminal elements and scammers targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
“The fraudsters have been found using the names of top NDLEA officials, most notably the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to issue fake private letters and messages offering cheap forfeited vehicles for sale on auction,” the statement said.
Babafemi described the offers as a complete scam, stressing that they are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money.
He explained that no official of the Agency has the mandate to privately offer, allocate, or sell forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.
According to him, vehicles and other assets forfeited as proceeds of drug crimes are strictly auctioned through public processes managed by appointed, government-registered auctioneers.
The spokesperson emphasised that any legitimate auction exercise is widely publicised in national dailies and through the Agency’s official channels, in line with established legal and public procurement guidelines.
He urged members of the public to disregard, ignore, and report any such private letters, text messages, or social media offers claiming to originate from Barrister Shadrach Haruna or any other NDLEA official.
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to maintaining transparency and integrity in all its operations, advising the public not to fall victim to criminal elements.
It further encouraged anyone approached with such fraudulent offers to report the matter immediately to the nearest command or through the Agency’s official communication channels.
