NDLEA says shortlisted paramilitary candidates should not pay for drug test
- The NDLEA says the Ministry of Interior has already paid for drug tests for shortlisted paramilitary recruits.
- Some applicants reportedly paid ₦7,500 through the agency's portal despite assurances the test is free.
- The tests cover candidates for Correctional Service, Immigration, Fire Service and NSCDC jobs.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has told shortlisted candidates for four paramilitary agencies not to pay for the mandatory Drug Integrity Test, saying the Ministry of Interior has already paid for it in bulk.
The warning came on Friday in a statement by the agency's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. It followed reports that some applicants had paid ₦7,500 through the NDLEA's drug testing portal.
The agencies involved are the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Why the payment confusion matters
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) had said the screening would be free. Its secretary, Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibrin (retd.), said candidates should only report to NDLEA offices in their states to submit samples and get their results.
But some applicants said the portal asked them for ₦7,500. One applicant from Kano, Abdallah Muhammad, said candidates had been told the government would pay, and asked Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to intervene.
Babafemi said the ₦7,500 is the statutory cost of testing kits, not a charge for the screening itself. He said the test remains free for Nigerians generally, but people who need it for travel, marriage, school admission or employment pay for the kits.
For this recruitment, he said the ministry's bulk payment covers the new intakes, so no candidate should pay NDLEA officials, testing centres or anyone else.
According to Leadership, some applicants who followed the instructions on the portal completed their registration without paying. Others reportedly selected the "Apply for Drug Test" option, which led them to a payment page.
What happens next
The CDCFIB portal opened on October 28 and will stay open until November 13. Shortlisted candidates from the first batch of 30,000 are to check their status and get the code for the test.
They will take the test at NDLEA offices in their states, then go to Abuja to collect appointment letters. The board said candidates must show a drug-free certificate before collecting their letters.
Babafemi said candidates should reach the NDLEA portal only through links provided on their agencies' recruitment portals. That way, they can register and go for testing without paying again.
Any candidate asked for money should report to the nearest security agency's office, Jibrin said.
