By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), as the chief executive and chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), it has emerged in Abuja.
Presidential spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu, confirmed the development on phone to Everyday.ng
Until this appointment, Mohamed Buba Marwa was the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Drug Abuse.
Marwa, who became popular as the Lagos State Military Administrator of Lagos State between 1996 and 1999, also served one as Borno State administrator.
Meanwhile, the federal government has stopped the planned screening of 5000 applicants seeking employment with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA as part of concerted efforts to prevent the spread of the corona-virus spread in the country.
Other sources hinted that the recruitment exercise was stopped because of the faulty manner the NDLEA went about it under the former Director-General, Col. Mohammed Abdallah, went about. Abdallah’s tenure ended a week ago.
Government claimed that the screening slated for this month was wrongly timed in view of the alarming rate the disease is said to be spreading by experts.
Attorney General of the Federation AGF and Minister of Justice ordered a stop into the screening exercise on behalf of the federal government.
Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice Mr Dayo Apata, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN made this public in Abuja.
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 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.
“In view of the foregoing, the 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.
“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.”.the statement further said.e
