The Federal Government will reopen the recruitment portal from October 28 to November 13 for candidates who have already applied for 30,000 paramilitary jobs and progressed to the oral interview stage to check their status and undergo mandatory drug tests.

The Secretary to the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, Major General AbdulMalik Jibril (retd.), disclosed this while briefing journalists after the board’s meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Jibril clarified that the portal reopening was for existing applicants who had reached the oral interview stage and not for fresh applications.

He said candidates would be required to log into the portal, check their recruitment status and obtain a code to enable them to undergo mandatory drug tests at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency offices in their respective states.

According to him, candidates must present certificates confirming that they are free from illegal drug use before collecting their appointment letters.

He added that successful candidates would converge on Abuja after the tests for documentation and collection of their appointment letters.

“The portal will open from October 28 up to November 13 for people to check their status and then take a code and proceed to their respective states, where the NDLEA office is, and present themselves for mandatory drug tests,” Jibril said.

He explained that the tests would be conducted at the expense of the Federal Government, warning candidates against paying anyone for the exercise.

“It is at the government’s expense. Candidates are not to pay anything. They are only to report to the NDLEA, where they will submit their samples, and the result will be given to them instantly,” he said.

Jibril advised any candidate asked to pay for the test to report the matter to the nearest security agency’s office.

The recruitment exercise is part of President Bola Tinubu’s plan to recruit 120,000 personnel into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service and Federal Fire Service over his first four-year tenure.

The current exercise represents the first batch of 30,000 recruits.

Meanwhile, the board approved the promotion of 27,624 officers across the four paramilitary services and resolved 228 pending disciplinary cases at its meeting.

Jibril said 17,343 officers of the NSCDC were promoted, alongside 4,601 personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service, 4,097 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service and 1,583 personnel of the Federal Fire Service.

He said the promotions were aimed at addressing career stagnation, improving personnel welfare and boosting morale across the services.

The board also approved a healthcare policy framework to improve the fitness and wellness of officers and men of the four agencies.

On disciplinary matters, Jibril said the board considered 228 pending cases and approved various disciplinary measures against the personnel involved.

Matthew Abi