The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stated that it is neither recruiting nor auctioning seized or overtime cargoes at present, adding that such activities remain suspended till further notice.
In a statement by its Deputy Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, the NCS said the warning became necessary to prevent people from being defrauded by criminal elements who open fake Facebook accounts in the name of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), advertising job vacancies, auction and contracts.
The NCS said: “It is disheartening to note that despite several warnings, arrests and prosecutions, internet fraudsters are still using this online platform to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians. It is therefore imperative to advice people to stop patronizing these seemingly juicy offers on the internet, promising job, auction and contracts upon payment of some amount of money into private accounts.
“For the avoidance of doubt, NCS wishes to inform the general public that it is not undergoing any recruitment exercise. Similarly, auction of seized vehicles or overtime cargo remain suspended until further notice.
“While refusing to patronize them you could also help the Service to get rid of the fraudsters by reporting suspicious offers online or traditional media to the nearest Customs formation,” he stated.
Meanwhile the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has expressed his determination to ensure that the Customs Staff College remains a World class training institution.
The Comptroller-General gave this indication in Gwagwalada yesterday after his inspection visit to the college. He expressed satisfaction with the College environment which he described as “captivating, well- kept and commendable”.
The Comptroller-General said the College is capable of delivering a World class, skilled Customs Professionals but expressed his concerns about adequate maintenance of the college structures.
“I am impressed and hope to keep the standard well above average, its one thing for us to build and another for us to maintain. The standard of training must not fall. The maintenance must not fall. Our staff college must be first- class at any given time,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the College Commandant Comptroller Aminu Abba told the Comptroller-General that the college which started in December 2011 had organized a total number of 99 Training Programmes, during which 5,011 senior Officers were exposed to various advanced and specialized trainings.
He stated that the College had developed a comprehensive curriculum to cover various areas of modern Customs operations, as envisaged under the Strategic Plan 2014- 2019.
The highlight of the visit was the inspection of the Customs museum, where items of historical value documenting Customs history since its inception were kept. Others places inspected include the college main auditorium, the lecture Halls, the e-library, residences for Directing Staff and College participants, the medical and sports facilities.
The visit to the College, located in Gwagwalada – Abuja is part of the Comptroller- General’s familiarization with the Service structures.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.