– Agency says Interior Ministry has paid bulk fee; applicants who follow correct portal instructions to register free
ABUJA – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has clarified that applicants participating in the ongoing recruitment into four paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior are not required to pay for the mandatory Drug Integrity Test (DIT), following reports that some candidates mistakenly paid N7,500 during the registration process.
The clarification comes amid concerns that some shortlisted applicants, despite earlier assurances by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) that the exercise was free, had paid for the test after selecting the wrong option on the NDLEA portal.
Reports indicate that some applicants clicked on the “Apply for Drug Test” option on the NDLEA portal, which automatically directed them to a payment page requiring N7,500 under a section titled “Complete Drug Test Application.”
However, applicants who followed the designated instructions for the paramilitary recruitment exercise confirmed that they registered for the test free of charge.
The NDLEA, in a statement issued on Friday, October 30, 2026, by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the Ministry of Interior had already made bulk payment to cover the drug testing of the new intakes.
The agency consequently warned candidates against making payments to NDLEA officials, testing centres or through any other payment channel in connection with the exercise.
It explained that arrangements had been concluded for the conduct of the mandatory Drug Integrity Test as part of the recruitment process into the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The agency advised candidates to access the NDLEA Drug Integrity Test platform through designated links or access points to be provided on the respective institutional portals of the recruiting agencies.
According to the NDLEA, the arrangement is designed to enable candidates to complete their registration, documentation and testing without incurring additional costs.
Earlier, the Secretary of the CDCFIB, Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd.), had assured applicants in Abuja that the Federal Government would bear the cost of the drug test.
He explained that candidates who successfully reached the oral interview stage would check their status on the CDCFIB portal, obtain the required code and proceed to the NDLEA office in their respective states for the test.
Jibril said candidates would be required to present their drug-free certificates before collecting their appointment letters.
He was emphatic that no applicant would be charged for the exercise, urging anyone asked to make payment to report the matter to the nearest security agency’s office.
The NDLEA reiterated its appreciation to the Ministry of Interior for its cooperation, assuring candidates of a transparent, smooth and efficient implementation of the exercise.