By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

Applicants participating in the ongoing federal government paramilitary recruitment exercise have raised concerns after being asked to pay ₦7,500 for mandatory drug screening, despite earlier assurances that the exercise would be completely free.

The reported charge has triggered complaints among candidates, who say the demand contradicts a clear commitment by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) that the Federal Government would cover the cost of the exercise.

The Board's Secretary, Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd.), had announced last week that applicants who successfully reached the oral interview stage would undergo compulsory drug screening conducted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) before receiving their appointment letters.

Speaking during a briefing in Abuja after a meeting of the Board, Jibril specifically assured candidates that they would not be required to pay for the test, insisting that the government had made arrangements to handle the expenses.

“Candidates are not to pay anything. They are only to report to NDLEA where they will submit their sample and the result will be given to them instantly,” he said.

When asked whether the screening would be free, the CDCFIB secretary reportedly repeated that the Federal Government would bear the entire cost and urged applicants to report any attempt to collect money from them.

“That means it is free. So no candidate will be charged. If any candidate reports and is asked to give money, let him report to the nearest security agency’s office,” Jibril stated.

However, the situation appears to have taken a different turn, with several applicants now reporting that they have been directed to pay ₦7,500 before undergoing the screening.

The amount is reportedly listed on the NDLEA's drug and visa screening portal, drugandvisa.ndlea.gov.ng, under the description "Drug Test", raising questions about why candidates are being asked to pay for a service the recruitment board had declared free.

One of the affected applicants, Abdallah Muhammad, from Kano State, expressed disappointment over the development, saying candidates had relied on the government's earlier assurance that they would not bear the financial burden of the screening.

Muhammad questioned the rationale behind collecting ₦7,500 from applicants, particularly considering the large number of people expected to participate in the exercise.

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“We were told that the bills would be footed by the federal government, but the NDLEA is now demanding ₦7,500 from us. Imagine multiplying that amount by 30,000 candidates. That is a huge sum of money,” he said.

He appealed to the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to intervene and ensure that applicants are not made to pay for the screening.

“We appeal to the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to look into this matter and come to our rescue. We hear that he is a man of integrity, and we believe he will intervene on our behalf to ensure that applicants are not made to pay for a service the government had promised would be free,” Muhammad added.

The reported payment requirement has caused anxiety among candidates, many of whom have spent months waiting for the recruitment process to reach its final stage. Applicants are now demanding an explanation from the relevant authorities over the apparent difference between the Board's announcement and the payment instructions on the NDLEA portal.

The recruitment exercise covers four federal paramilitary agencies: the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Federal Fire Service (FFS).

Under the recruitment guidelines, candidates who have reached the oral interview stage must obtain drug screening clearance from the NDLEA before they can collect their appointment letters.

The first phase of the exercise is expected to accommodate 30,000 recruits as part of the Federal Government's broader plan to employ 120,000 personnel across the four agencies.

At the reported rate of ₦7,500 per candidate, the total amount could reach ₦225 million if all 30,000 applicants are required to pay for the test.

As of the time of filing this report, the CDCFIB and NDLEA had yet to provide clarification on the reported charges or explain whether the payment demand had been officially approved.

Applicants are therefore calling on the Interior Minister and the relevant authorities to urgently resolve the issue, insisting that candidates should not be made to shoulder a cost the government had expressly promised to cover.