LAGOS JANUARY 13^TH (NEWSRANGERS)-No fewer than one thousand intending personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, who reported for screening and documentation at the agency’s training camp in Jos vacated their hostels on Tuesday as there was no official to attend to them.

Some of the applicants, who were stranded, were seen with their bags and baggage around 8am on Tuesday moving out of the hostels where they were camped.

A female applicant, who spoke to The PUNCH, disclosed that she came from Kaduna State to participate in the botched screening.

She said, “Many of us came from different states very far from Plateau State, only to be told to return home after spending money and time. It is very frustrating.  The Federal Government should put its house in order and learn to treat citizens with dignity.”

Another applicant from Kwara said, “My worry is that some of us who were not screened were left in the dark on what becomes our fate. Some are saying our names have been replaced with other people who have connections with big men. We hope the rumour turns out not to be true.”

The NDLEA had last week released the list of successful applicants in its ongoing recruitment.

A spokesman for the agency, Jonah Achema, a Deputy Commander of Narcotics, had urged the shortlisted candidates, numbering 5,000, to appear at the NDLEA’s academy, Citadel Counter-Narcotics Nigeria, Katton-Rikkos, Jos, Plateau State, for screening and documentation between January 10 and 23, 2021.

However, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Friday directed that the exercise should be stopped as such gathering could violate the COVID-19 protocols.

Punch