NDLEA halts screening of 5,000 applicants as Buhari appoints new DG

Nigerian government has ordered that the planned screening of 5,000 applicants seeking employment with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA be stopped.

This became necessary following the increased spread of coronavirus in the country.

Government said that the screening slated for this month was wrongly timed in view of the alarming rate of spread of COVID-19.

Solicitor General of the Federation SGF and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice Mr Dayo Apata, made this known in a statement.

A statement by the SGF read in part, “The attention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to the fact that the NDLEA has instructed a total of 5,000 candidates to appear at the Agency’s Academy, Citadel Counter-Narcotics Nigeria, (CCNN), Katton-Rikkos, Jos, Plateau State for the screening and documentation exercise between January 10 and 23, 2021

The Attorney General urged the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata, SAN to seek advice from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on the public health implications of such an exercise.

“Considering the above, Malami directed the Chairman of the NDLEA to hold further action on this exercise pending the receipt of clarification/advice from the Presidential Task Force,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), as the New Director General (DG) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Marwa, until this appointment was the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Drug Abuse.