VDM Alleges ₦96m Customs Fraud at Abuja HQ

Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has alleged that a Nigerian man was defrauded of ₦96 million in a scam involving a senior officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The purported transaction, he claimed, took place inside the office of an Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to VDM’s account in a video that circulated widely on Tuesday, the alleged victim was offered eight containers said to be available for auction at a Lagos port. Each container was priced at ₦12 million, amounting to a total of ₦96 million. The man reportedly sought and obtained a meeting with the senior officer at the Customs headquarters. After the encounter in the ACG’s office, he proceeded with payment in the belief that the containers were legitimate overtime or seized goods available under official auction procedures.

VDM stated that the man later discovered the containers did not exist. “It’s crazy how it turned out to be a scam. After everything, he found out that the whole thing did not exist,” the activist said while recounting the alleged incident. He did not name the officer, provide the date of the transaction, or indicate whether the funds had been recovered or a formal complaint lodged with the NCS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), or the police.

The claims have not been independently verified. As of Wednesday evening, the Nigeria Customs Service had not issued a public response to the specific allegation. The Service has previously warned the public repeatedly against fake auction and recruitment schemes in which fraudsters impersonate senior officers or claim insider access to seized goods. Official NCS auctions are conducted through established channels, including a designated e-auction portal, and not through private meetings or social-media arrangements.

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The allegation has drawn mixed reactions online. Some users praised VDM for highlighting what they described as entrenched corruption within government agencies, while others questioned how such a large sum could allegedly change hands inside a high-security government facility and called for concrete evidence and a formal investigation. Comments ranged from shock at the amount involved to broader frustration over persistent reports of graft in the maritime and border sectors.

VDM has built a large following in recent years by publicising alleged scams and official misconduct, sometimes prompting responses or investigations from security agencies. In this instance, he framed the case as further evidence that “in this country, there’s no place you cannot be scammed,” even within the headquarters of a major federal agency.

The Nigeria Customs Service has faced periodic allegations over auction processes and revenue collection in the past, some of which it has publicly rejected as misrepresentations of its operations. Stakeholders and industry groups have at times complained about opacity or irregularities in the disposal of seized or overtime cargo. The Service maintains that it operates under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and cooperates with anti-corruption bodies when credible complaints are received.

As the allegation remains unverified and no official statement has been released, the matter is likely to attract further scrutiny from both the public and relevant authorities in the coming days. Any person with information or evidence relating to the claim is expected to report it through formal channels for proper investigation.