MONEY EXTORTED FROM NDLEA JOB APPLICANTS – NCP ALLEGES

NDLEA boss, Giade
National Conscience Party (NCP) has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), over alleged extortion of money from job applicants who were allegedly asked to pay N1,500 by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The party in the petition dated September 28, 2010 and signed by its National Secretary, Dr. Yinusa Tanko, said payment of the money through designated banks was estimated to fetch a total sum N3 billion into the coffers of the agency with the unending influx of job-seeking Nigerian applicants, scrambling for payments.

NCP said tit was illegal and had, therefore, called on the Minister of Justice to order a refund, saying it was unthinkable that the government agency could be profiting from the misfortune of desperate job seekers.

Failing to refund the money, the Party said it would seek legal redress to force the agency to refund the money it collected illegally.

'Apart from the immorality of profiting from the misfortunate of job seekers in a country where unemployment has assumed a disturbing dimension, the action is illegal on the following  grounds: there is no provision in the Appropriation Act 2010 for generating revenue from applicants by the NDLEA or any agency of the Federal Government; the collection of money from applicants has not been authorized by the Federal Government. To that extent, it cannot be justified under Section 46 of the NDLEA Act.'

The petition titled: Demand for Refund of Funds illegally collected fropm Applicants by NDLEA, read thus:

'The party attention has been drawn with complaints from several members of the public with respect to the on-going extortion of money from applicants desirous to fill the few vacancies recently advertised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

'Specifically, the NDLEA has directed every applicant to pay N1, 500.00 (One Thousand Five Hundred Naira) to it through some designated banks. It is estimated that not less than N3, 000,000,000.00 (Three Billion Naira) will be realized from the exercise. 'Apart from the immorality of profiting from the misfortunate of job seekers in a country where unemployment has assumed a disturbing dimension the action is the NDLEA is illegal on the following  grounds:-

'There is no provision in the Appropriation Act 2010 for generating revenue from applicants by the NDLEA or any agency of the Federal Government. The collection of money from applicants has not been authorized by the Federal Government. To that extend, it cannot be justified under Section 46 of the NDLEA Act.

'The revenue generated by the NDLEA is not being paid into the Federation Account as required by Section 162 of the Constitution. The National Assembly has not enacted any law authorizing the NDLEA to impose any levy on applicants.