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 auction offers.
According to a statement issued by NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the fraudsters have been using the name of the Agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, to circulate fake letters and messages offering forfeited vehicles for sale at unusually cheap prices.
Babafemi described the offers as a complete scam, stressing that they are a deliberate attempt by criminal elements to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
He emphasized that no NDLEA official has the authority to privately allocate or sell forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.
According to the Agency, all vehicles and assets forfeited as proceeds of drug-related crimes are disposed of only through transparent public auction processes conducted by government-approved auctioneers. Such auctions are widely advertised in national newspapers and announced through the Agency’s official communication channels in line with legal and public procurement procedures.
The NDLEA urged Nigerians to disregard any private letters, text messages, phone calls, or social media posts claiming to offer forfeited vehicles on behalf of Barrister Haruna or any other official of the Agency.
The Agency reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in the disposal of forfeited assets and advised anyone approached with such fraudulent offers to report the incident immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or through the Agency’s official communication channels.
The NDLEA also cautioned the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to fraudsters seeking to exploit the Agency’s name for personal gain.
