TheCable

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned Nigerians against impostors using a new scam scheme to defraud people with families abroad.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, in a statement on Saturday, said the scammers are impersonating the agency’s personnel.

He said the scammers are making calls to unsuspecting citizens to inform them of the arrest of their relatives caught with illicit drugs upon arrival at international airports in Nigeria.

He added that after sending the family members into panic, the fraudsters would demand 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 the family members called the Agency’s official contacts for help or clarification,” the statement reads.

“At the moment, there is one of such scenario the Agency has just investigated.

“In this case, the picture of a Nigerian man based in the US is being circulated with an audio of a purported NDLEA officer negotiating the payment of N5 million with a female relative for the release of the US-based Nigerian man purportedly arrested at the Lagos airport on Friday 22nd March upon his arrival with a contraband.

“Just like in previous instances, 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 either as at yesterday or any other day.

“The family members involved in this case are advised not to part with their hard-earned money to scammers.”

The NDLEA spokesperson urged Nigerians with loved ones abroad to keep discussions of travel plans of their relatives to themselves to avoid the hijack of such by criminals for devious schemes.

He asked those with similar experiences to call +2347064670026 and +2348033326327 for help or clarification.