Job racketeering: FFS boss warns against fake appointment letters in circulation

The leadership of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) has issued a stern warning to desperate job seekers, urging them to steer clear of employment fraud and cease dragging the organisation’s name in the mud.

The FFS boss, Engr Abdulganiyu O. Jaji, in a statement made available to newsmen Monday in Abuja, expressed deep concern over the rising cases of job racketeering involving unscrupulous agents who deceive desperate job seekers with fake appointment and invitation letters.

The CG emphasised that it never and will never authorise any third parties to conduct recruitment on its behalf and reiterated that all official processes are handled transparently through recognised government platforms.

The FFS boss made it clear that anyone caught presenting forged documents in a bid to secure employment will face immediate arrest and prosecution.

The service lamented the damage such actions inflict on its credibility and the emotional and financial toll they take on victims.

He said: “Let me shock you, the Federal Fire Service, through its vigilant oversight, uncovered five names of desperate job seekers who managed to insert themselves into the IPPIS list without having any original invitation or appointment letters.

“On behalf of the Board, I challenge anyone in possession of a genuine appointment letter who claims to have been unjustly denied the opportunity to come forward with it.

“The truth is, we were extremely thorough with the entire recruitment process. In fact, we went as far as inviting those individuals who illicitly made it onto the IPPIS platform, and they openly confessed to engaging in underground dealings. Every possible loophole was sealed—we meticulously cross-checked the original master list against both the final documented list and the IPPIS entries.

“Interestingly, when we uncovered and seized several of these fake letters, we made the strategic decision to quietly suspend the documentation process without any public announcement. To our surprise, the fraudsters—completely unaware of our move—went ahead and printed even more fake letters. We could only watch and laugh, knowing they had already exposed themselves.”

Engr. Jaji, while reaffirming the service commitment to integrity, called on the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.

He further assured that genuine opportunities within the agency will always be publicly announced through proper, verifiable channels

“Each time we are made aware of the alarming rise in fake recruitment activities being carried out by fraudsters, we take it upon ourselves to promptly alert Nigerians—particularly desperate job seekers—that these fraudulent recruitment claims into the Service are not from us.

“We strongly warn the public to be cautious and avoid engaging with these scammers who falsely present themselves as representatives of the Federal Fire Service.

“Referring to the recently concluded recruitment exercise, it’s worth recalling that the immediate past Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), Ja’afaru Ahmed, issued an official statement urging candidates to check their status on the Board’s portal, cdcfib.career, on the designated date in December 2024. The Board had specifically advised applicants for the Federal Fire Service (FFS) recruitment to visit the portal to confirm their final selection and download their invitation letters directly.

“Having made this clear, anyone claiming to have been invited for documentation but whose name does not appear on the official master list has, without a doubt, fallen victim to scammers.

“It is disheartening that, despite repeated warnings, some job seekers continue to willingly fall into the hands of fraudsters who go as far as creating fake websites, selling bogus recruitment forms, and extorting large sums of money under the guise of processing employment.

“We have consistently emphasized—through the CDCFIB—that the entire recruitment process into the four paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior is completely free, with no payments required at any stage.

“As a matter of fact, several fake invitation letters, SMS messages, and emails were intercepted. Shockingly, even after the new Secretary of the Board assumed office, some individuals still showed up with forged letters falsely bearing the name of the former Secretary.

“It is truly disheartening that job seekers who willingly engage with individuals who call, send suspicious links via text messages, and even request payments through provided account details, later turn around to petition the Service when things go wrong.

“The Federal Fire Service, under my watch, is built on a foundation of hard-earned integrity, and we will do everything necessary to safeguard that reputation. On this note, I appeal to those with genuine complaints to support our efforts by submitting the account details, names, and phone numbers of those involved for immediate and decisive action.

“No credible government agency would issue letters of invitation to successful candidates only to turn around and cancel them. That is completely unrealistic—and let me be clear—the Federal Fire Service has never been, and will never be, involved in such misconduct.

“We have now resolved to begin arresting and publicly parading individuals who present fake invitation letters during documentation and screening exercises. Alarmingly, some even go as far as submitting forged appointment letters.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to job seekers, especially our hardworking youths, to remain patient. The government is actively working to create meaningful opportunities to engage them.

“The Honourable Minister of Interior, himself a young man, is committed to ensuring that the years our youths have invested in education do not go to waste. Instead of turning to fake websites—often with suspicious phone numbers and email contacts—applicants should wait for official advertisements from the CDCFIB in national newspapers and apply only through the government-designated portal, where no payment is required at any stage.

“Finally, let me categorically state that no Federal Fire Service personnel should be patronised under any circumstance. Any candidate who chooses to do so will bear the consequences alone.”