NDLEA nabs fake officer selling recruitment forms

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 39-year-old man for posing as an employee of the agency and extorting money from unsuspecting job seekers.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect, Siaka Adewunmi, had collected over N737,500 from members of the public, giving them recruitment forms under the pretext of providing employment for them in the agency.

Our correspondent gathered that Adewunmi promised one of his victims, who he defrauded to the tune of N680,000, employment for his son. He was also said to have promised to help him buy two vehicles purportedly auctioned by the NDLEA.

The suspect was, however, exposed when 10 ‘applicants’ visited the head office of the agency to request information on the next batch of training slated for December 16, 2014, at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State.

It was learnt that Adewunmi, an Ordinary National Diploma holder in Business Administration, was eventually trailed to Ibadan, Oyo State, and arrested. Items recovered from him were curriculum vitaes of applicants, Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment forms and his international passport.

Adewunmi, an indigene of Osun State, said it was joblessness that compelled him into the criminal act.

He said, “I told a man that I work with the NDLEA and that I could assist his son to get a job through an ongoing internal recruitment. He gave me N40,000 and I discovered that it was easy for people to pay money for recruitment. That was how it started. It was joblessness that made me to do it.

“I also collected money from a man to help him buy Toyota Sienna and Toyota Camry at very cheap prices during NDLEA auction sales in Abuja. Some people paid money into my bank account, while others paid cash. I feel bad and I advise others defrauding people to quit the criminal act.”

The Oyo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mrs. Omolade Faboyede said she was surprised by the visit of the defrauded persons.

She said, “We were shocked when we received complaints from some of the victims. That was how we commenced investigation and in the process, the suspect was apprehended. In the course of interrogation, we got another complaint from a man who paid N680,000 for the employment of his son and the purchase of two auction vehicles from the Abuja office of the NDLEA.

“Let me use this opportunity to call on whoever has paid money for employment to contact the nearest NDLEA office for a follow up investigation.”

The agency’s Chairman, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, urged the public to confirm any job advertisement placed in the name of the agency.

“The NDLEA is not conducting recruitment and will not recruit secretly. Members of the public should learn from this case and avoid dealing with fraudsters,” he said.





Punch