…Approves Promotion Of 27,624 Officers
…Disposes 228 Disciplinary Cases
The Federal Government has made drug testing by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) mandatory for candidates who have reached the oral interview stage of the ongoing recruitment into the country’s four paramilitary services.
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) said candidates must present a drug-free certificate before collecting their appointment letters as part of the first batch of 30,000 recruits.
The board’s Secretary, Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd.), disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja after the board’s meeting.
He also announced that the recruitment portal would reopen on October 28 and remain open until November 13.
“Since candidates have been waiting, by 28th of October, God willing, the portal for the candidates will open, and will remain open till 13th November,” he said.
Jibril said candidates who had reached the oral interview stage would be required to check their status on the recruitment portal, obtain a code and visit an NDLEA office in their respective states for the test.
He said the screening was in compliance with a Federal Government directive requiring candidates to undergo drug testing before their appointment letters were issued.
“It is after that that they will all converge on Abuja to collect their letters of appointment. So, you must come along with your drug-free certificate before you collect your letter,” Jibril said.
He said the test would be free, warning candidates against paying anyone for the exercise.
“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.
“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,” he said.
Jibril said the ongoing recruitment was the first batch of a planned 120,000-personnel intake into the paramilitary services during President Bola Tinubu’s first term.
“You recall that Mr President promised that he will recruit 120,000 young personnel into our various services within the period of four years of his tenure, the first tenure. And we are on for the first 30,000 today,” he said.
The board also approved the promotion of 27,624 officers across the four services under its supervision.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) accounted for the largest number, with 17,343 officers approved for promotion. The Nigerian Correctional Service had 4,601 promotions, while the Nigerian Immigration Service recorded 4,097. The Federal Fire Service accounted for the remaining 1,583.
Jibril said the approvals addressed promotion delays that had affected personnel in the services.
“This is unprecedented. This is a complete departure from what this government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited in terms of promotion stagnation that directly and adversely affect the morale of the paramilitary officers and their men,” he said.
He said the board would also address unresolved disciplinary cases and welfare concerns affecting personnel.
“It will be a thing of the past in the paramilitary services, as indeed in other sectors of Nigerian governance. Stagnation in promotion, pending disciplinary cases without taking specific decisions to rest the issues as well as other welfare programmes that affect members of the paramilitary services,” he said.
The board secretary also disclosed that 228 pending disciplinary cases involving officers across the four services had been considered and disposed of.
He said the board approved different disciplinary measures after reviewing the cases.
“Certain individuals that committed offences, different offences, and have been pending, all the cases have been disposed. A total of 228 cases were considered and different disciplinary measures taken have been approved by the board,” Jibril said.
The board also considered and validated a healthcare policy framework for personnel of the four services.
According to Jibril, the policy is intended to improve the health and wellbeing of officers and men of the NSCDC, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Immigration Service and Federal Fire Service.
