By Joy Odor
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Wednesday warned Nigerians about fake recruitment scamed circulating online with offer of diplomatic missions jobs abroad purportedly signed by the Ministry’s Minister, Amb Maitama Tuggar and the Spokesperson.
Describing the recruitment as a scam at a press briefing in Abuja, the spokesperson of the Ministry, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, explained that the Ministry does not recruit staff directly but through the Federal Civil Service Commission.
He affirmed that, all recruits into the Foreign Service go through a clear and formal process by the Federal Civil Service Commission, with training at the Foreign Service Academy, before eventual deployment abroad.
The Ministry emphasized that the fake recruitment offer letter being sent to unsuspecting Nigerians signed by the Minister in the last 24 hours did not emanate from the Ministry.
He warned those who might have received such offers to disregard them, lamenting that they are fake.
Kimiebi informed that the Ministry will collaborate with relevant security agencies to track the scammers and owners of the websites being used to perpetrate the fake recruitment exercise.
He assured that the ministry will write officially to relevant security agencies to alert them with the view to tracking them face wrath of the law.
Kimiebi promised that more disclaimers would be issued via the ministry’s social media platforms, and that action would be taken to protect Nigerians and the integrity of the foreign service from activities of scammers.
“What the ministry intends to do is to write officially to the relevant security agencies to track the persons behind this website and the emails. If someone is paying money, definitely there will definitely be an account that will be provided for the payment.
“Tomorrow you will see unsuspecting Nigerians arriving in different countries with fake documents. When the real officers showed up, there could be confusion.
“This is not just about fake news. It is about protecting Nigerians from losing their hard-earned money and protecting the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We want to put on record that the ministry doesn’t recruit officers directly, not at all. Recruitment of foreign service officers is done by the Federal Civil Service Commission and not by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
“It even directs candidates to pay N165,800 for a diplomatic passport” he stressed.
