How NDLEA Spent Over N1.5bn On Recruitment Of 5,000 Personnel – Senate

According to Vanguard, the Nigerian Senate has raised the alarm about the National Drugs Law and Enforcement Agency, NDLEA's recruitment process.

The Senate raised alarm over how the NDLEA spent over N1.5 billion for the recruitment of 5,000 personnel in 2021.

Senator Matthew Urhoghide, who led Senate Committee on Public Accounts while querying the NDLEA on the spending, said that the  N1.5 billion was collected through the  Service Wide Votes by the anti- drug agency.

At the investigation on expenditure with regard to the Service Wide Votes, Senator Matthew Urhoghide wondered how the agency could  spend the bogus amount on the recruitment of 5000 personnel.

On his part, the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia specifically wondered how the agency spent such amount on recruitment of 5000 personnel.

Responding, the Director of Finance and Account,  Abdullaahi Shitu who represented the Chairman of the NDLEA  claimed that part of the money was used to renovate a  building at the training camp of the agency.

The Lawmakers who rejected the explanation, said that the Authority to Incure Expenditure (AIE) submitted by the agency showed it was for recruitment not for the building in the train camp.

The Committee therefore ordered the NDLEA to present to it, the nominal roll of the 5000 personnel of the agency for vetting today, Thursday.