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Customs Recruitment Still On Track, Service Warns Applicants Against Fraudsters on Social Media
Customs Recruitment Still On Track, Service Warns Applicants Against Fraudsters on Social Media
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News
The Nigeria Customs Service has confirmed that its nationwide recruitment exercise is still underway, even as fraudsters exploit the prolonged silence to circulate fake shortlisting notices and extort desperate applicants.
The Service, which serves as a critical agency at Nigeria’s seaports, land borders, and inland waterways checkpoints, had earlier announced plans for a major recruitment drive that attracted widespread interest across the country. But with no fresh official updates on shortlisting and subsequent screening stages, a dangerous information vacuum has emerged — and criminal elements have wasted no time filling it.
Speaking to enquiries, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, confirmed that the exercise remains active. “We are on it. Whenever we are ready, we will make it public. The public should be wary of fake recruitment processes going on across various social media platforms,” he said.
The warning comes amid a surge in fraudulent recruitment activity on WhatsApp and Facebook, with unsuspecting applicants reportedly being charged money in exchange for placement on fictitious shortlists. The scam has hit particularly hard among port community workers and maritime sector job seekers who applied for Customs roles at entry points across the country.
Stakeholders have urged the Service to communicate more proactively, arguing that regular updates on the progress of key stages — including shortlisting and screening — would significantly reduce the misinformation that bad actors have exploited.
The Customs Service maintained that all genuine recruitment updates will be published exclusively through its official channels, and urged Nigerians to verify information before taking any action.
Applicants are advised to monitor the Service’s official website and verified social media handles, and to report any suspicious recruitment solicitations to the nearest Customs office.