Government Warns Against Fake Recruitment Scams, Promises Transparent Hiring Process

The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to Nigerians about fraudulent recruitment schemes targeting job seekers hoping to join the country’s paramilitary services. The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) clarified that while presidential approval has been granted for new hires, the official recruitment process has not yet begun.

In a statement released Tuesday by its Secretary, Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril (Rtd), the Board addressed a viral social media post that sparked confusion about ongoing recruitment into agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), and Federal Fire Service (FFS).

“It is important to inform the general public that, though there is a Presidential approval for the recruitment of personnel in the four paramilitary services under its purview, there are a series of processes which lead to the actual recruitment exercise,” the statement read.

The CDCFIB assured Nigerians that all legitimate job openings will be publicly announced through official channels, emphasizing that no fees should be paid for recruitment.

“The Board wishes to reiterate that for all its recruitment processes, appropriate notifications would be done via adverts in the national dailies, and it would be carried out in a fair and transparent process, devoid of payment of any fee,” it stated.

The Board also cautioned job seekers against falling victim to fraudsters, adding: “To this effect, members of the public should be wary of the activities of recruitment racketeers who may want to take advantage of unsuspecting job seekers to rob them of their hard-earned resources.”

The clarification follows the circulation of an internal memo from the Ministry of Interior, which had raised concerns among Nigerian youths about the authenticity of purported recruitment exercises. The government has now urged patience, assuring that official advertisements will be published once all necessary approvals and procedures are finalized.