The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a warning to the public, particularly individuals who have family members residing abroad, about a recent fraudulent scheme involving impersonation of its officers.

According to Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy for NDLEA, the scam entails scammers contacting unsuspecting citizens and informing them of the arrest of their relatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos or any other international airport in Nigeria. The scammers falsely claim that the detained individuals were found in possession of illegal drugs upon their arrival in the country.

In a statement, Babafemi revealed that the scammers create panic among the family members and then demand large sums of money, usually in the millions of naira, as a bribe to secure the release of their loved ones from custody.

“We have foiled several attempts in the past when family members reached out to the Agency’s official contacts for assistance or clarification,” Babafemi stated.

He also highlighted a recent incident where a Nigerian man based in the United States was being falsely portrayed as arrested at the Lagos airport. An audio recording of a supposed NDLEA officer negotiating a payment of N5 million with a female relative for the man’s release was being circulated alongside his picture. However, investigations conducted by the NDLEA revealed that the incident was yet another fraudulent act, with no involvement of any NDLEA officer and the person in the photo not being held in their custody.

Babafemi cautioned families involved in such cases not to fall victim to these scammers and urged Nigerians with loved ones abroad to refrain from discussing their relatives’ travel plans openly to prevent these criminal elements from exploiting the information for malicious purposes.

The NDLEA spokesperson provided contact lines (+2347064670026 and +2348033326327) for individuals facing similar challenges, encouraging them to seek assistance or clarification from the agency.