The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cautioned Nigerians against falling victim to an online employment scam falsely promising direct recruitment into the nation’s foreign service.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Kimiebi Ebienfa, Acting Spokesperson of the ministry, debunked claims circulating online that the ministry is offering jobs or appointments into diplomatic positions.
“We want to make it clear that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not recruit officers directly,” Ebienfa said. “Recruitment of foreign service officers is handled exclusively by the Federal Civil Service Commission.”
Ebienfa revealed that scammers have escalated their tactics by sending fake employment letters, some fraudulently signed in the name of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and even using his own name to distribute deceptive emails. One such fake letter offered a diplomatic posting to the Nigerian Embassy in Juba, South Sudan, and instructed recipients to pay ₦165,800 for a diplomatic passport.
“This offer is entirely fake,” Ebienfa stressed. “No one can be recruited into the Nigerian Diplomatic Service without undergoing training at the Foreign Service Academy, following formal recruitment by the Federal Civil Service Commission.”
He reiterated that diplomatic and official passports are issued free of charge and warned the public to disregard any solicitation for payment or promises of direct employment from the ministry.
“This is about protecting Nigerians from losing their hard-earned money and safeguarding the reputation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Ebienfa added.
The ministry urged the public to verify all recruitment-related information and to report any suspicious communication to the appropriate authorities.
