NDLEA Warns Paramilitary Recruits Against Paying for Drug Tests

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned applicants shortlisted for recruitment into four paramilitary agencies against making payments for mandatory drug integrity tests, saying the Federal Government has already covered the cost of the exercise.

The agency's spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, explaining that the Ministry of Interior had made a bulk payment to cover the screening of the new recruits.

He said candidates were not required to pay NDLEA officials, testing centres or through any other payment channel to undergo the exercise.

The warning applies to applicants seeking employment with the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Babafemi said arrangements had been concluded for the mandatory Drug Integrity Test, which forms part of the recruitment process for successful candidates.

He explained that applicants must access the NDLEA testing platform through the designated links or access points provided on their respective agencies' recruitment portals.

The candidates are expected to complete the required registration and documentation before presenting themselves for the screening.

The agency said the process was designed to ensure an orderly and transparent exercise without additional financial obligations for applicants.

The warning follows reports that some candidates encountered payment requests while attempting to register for the test, despite earlier assurances from the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) that the exercise would be free.

The board's Secretary, Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd.), had previously said the Federal Government would bear the cost and advised applicants to report any attempt to collect money from them.

He explained that shortlisted candidates who reached the oral interview stage would obtain a code through the recruitment portal and proceed to designated NDLEA offices in their respective states for testing.

The first batch of the recruitment exercise covers 30,000 personnel across the four paramilitary services, as part of the Federal Government's broader plan to recruit 120,000 personnel within President Bola Tinubu's first four-year tenure.