‘Customs Comptroller-General’ Arrested Over Recruitment Scam

One Abdul-Rahman Ibrahim has been apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for allegedly parading himself as a Comptroller-General of the commission to engage in fraudulent activities.

The suspect, said to be in his fifties, was reportedly impersonating high-ranking government officials, including the Comptroller-General of Customs.

The NCS gave details about Ibrahim’s arrest and criminal record in a statement released on Wednesday via their official X handle, Naija News reports.

The statement further revealed that the arrest of the suspect was facilitated by the Customs Police Unit, who gathered intelligence leading to his capture.

The statement read, “The suspect, Abdul-Rahman Ibrahim, was apprehended for his involvement in impersonating the Comptroller-General of Customs, Chief of Staff to the President, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Interior.

“According to the National PRO, the suspect has fraudulently lured numerous unsuspecting citizens to pay him money for the issuance of ‘job appointment letters,’ thereby extorting over N1 million from them.

“This arrest underscores the relentless effort of the Nigeria Customs Service in mitigating and combating criminal elements who exploit the service’s name for fraudulent activities.”

Naija News understands that Ibrahim’s confession regarding his involvement in the fraudulent act, along with the information about his accomplices, led to a further investigation aimed at apprehending and prosecuting them.

This development was prompted by the discovery of counterfeit documents in the possession of the suspect, which included fake Customs and NSCDC appointment letters, as well as forged introduction letters supposedly signed by high-ranking government officials, among other items.

A similar incident happened last year in June, where one Rakiya Musa was arrested for parading herself as a customs officer, defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

Additionally, in December 2023, the NCS management revealed that there was no ongoing recruitment exercise within their organization and cautioned citizens about fraudulent recruitment advertisements circulating on social media platforms.