Raphael Oni
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, addressed the press in Abuja on Wednesday, where he warned Nigerians about a fake recruitment scam circulating online. The scam falsely claims to offer jobs in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad, involving online advertisements and fake employment letters, including a request for payment of N165,800 for a diplomatic passport.
Ebiefa in a chat with journalists, said the Ministry does not get involve in the employment process of the Foreign Service Officers. The Ministry clarifies that recruitment of foreign service officers is done by the Federal Civil Service Commission, not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry Spokesperson emphasis the advance scam method. The scam includes fake job offers, such as a position at the Embassy of Nigeria in Juba, South Sudan, payment for Diplomatic Passports among others. The Ministry emphasizes that diplomatic passports are free, and no payment is required.
The Ministry warns Nigerians not to fall victim to the scam, emphasizing that all recruits into the Foreign Service go through a formal process in sequence such as Recruitment by the Federal Civil Service Commission, training at the Foreign Service Academy and eventual deployment abroad
The Ministry plans to involve security agencies to track down the scammers and protect Nigerians from losing their hard-earned money. More disclaimers will be issued via the ministry’s social media platforms to alert the public.
The Ministry expresses concern that the scam could damage Nigeria’s image abroad if left unchecked, potentially leading to confusion and embarrassment for the country. The Spokesperson urged Nigerians to be cautious and disregard any such messages, stressing that the ministry does not recruit officers directly.
