The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has halted further processes involving the recruitment of 5,000 candidates by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over fears of COVID-19 Infections.
NDLEA had pre-selected 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 at 0900 hours daily.
But Malami while halting the processes noted that “the timing is ill-advised and inappropriate given the current and alarming wave of COVID-19 pandemic across the country.
The Minister through a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor General of the Federation, Dayo Akpata, directed the NDLEA Chairman that further action should be withheld until clarifications are obtained from the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force.
The full text of the statement reads below:
RE: PROPOSED MOBILISATION OF 5000 CANDIDATES FOR SCREENING IN NDLEA ACADEMY IN JOS
The attention of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to the fact that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has directed 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 at 0900 hours daily.
- It is not in doubt that the exercise is long overdue and necessary for the actualization of the Agency’s mandate, however, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice notes that the timing is ill-advised and inappropriate given the current and alarming wave of COVID-19 pandemic across the country.
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In view of the foregoing, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation has directed that the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata, SAN to seek clarification/advice from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on the public health implications of such an exercise especially as it relates to the adequacy/possibility of strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols by 5000 applicants at this time of the nation’s health emergency.
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Considering the above, Malami directed the Chairman of the NDLEA to stay further action on this matter pending the receipt of clarification/advice from the Presidential Task Force.
The Chairman was further requested to notify the applicants of this development accordingly.
DAYO APATA, SAN
Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
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