Massive fraud rocks NDLEA over recruitment

Concerned officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have called for the immediate arrest of the agency’s Director of Administration and Finance, Yohanna-Silas Mshelia, who refused to leave office having attained the age of 60 years.

They also called for a forensic audit of the agency’s account for the past four years under the Chairmanship of retired Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah.

The officers alleged that Mshelia who worked till the last day of retirement on Friday, October 11, 2019, has refused to hand over with the intention of elongating his service contrary to the Federal Civil Service regulations. He was born on October 11, 1959, called to Bar in 1984 and was employed on August 21, 1998 with a bachelor degree on grade level 14 contrary to entry regulations.

It was gathered that Mshelia working under the directive of Abdallah allegedly used Emplug, an ICT firm that established a recruitment portal to swindle the Agency of the sum of N100 million.

Already, it was also alleged that Emplug has been paid the sum of N60 million for creating the recruitment portal that lasted for only three weeks.

According to Sunday Independent investigations, recruitment in the NDLEA is usually handled by a committee of officers drawn from the Directorates of Training and Administration, but the ongoing recruitment is being handled by Mshelia and Abdallah using Emplug, a company alleged to belong to the duo.

Besides the monumental recruitment fraud, Mshelia is also alleged to have been paying the sum of N25 million to Abdallah every month from the Agency’s overhead for unexplainable foreign travels.

“It is to cover up his repugnant financial deals that the Chairman is unwilling to let go Mshelia whose services officially terminated on Friday, October 11, 2019. Though his name has automatically been removed from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) salary payment schedule, corruption consideration has made him not to hand over as required by the law. It is on record that in order to corruptly allocate money for his monthly foreign travels, Abdallah as soon as he resumed stopped paying monthly running stipend to State commanders since 2016”, a senior officer in the agency alleged.

Another officer also alleged that “concerned officers gathered that over 100,000 applicants applied online for this recruitment but unfortunately, Abdallah has shortlisted 5,000 that did not apply online for the job vacancies. Why ask Nigerians to take the pain of applying online when you have already selected your candidates? This is unacceptable to us as Nigerians. Apart from corrupt practices of siphoning the Agency’s overhead for baseless foreign travels and the recruitment scandal; Abdallah has equally sat on officers’ promotion. He has refused to clear the backlog of promotion.”

In 2018, Abdallah in a circular with reference number NDLEA/ALS/ADM/100/V/90 acknowledged that officers had overstayed in one rank for over a decade and promised to address the promotion of staff.

“In that circular titled ‘Issues Relating To Promotion,’ Abdallah stated that ‘I have carefully considered all the issues relating to irregular and delayed promotion in the Agency and I am determined to put in place an enduring and sustainable promotion process and procedure. This is to enable the agency achieve the desired morale for optimal productivity by the personnel.’”

Sunday Independent was informed that Abdallah had promised to conclude the promotion of staff on grade level 03 to 06 by June 2018 and continue up the ladder, but the assurances never saw the light of the day.

“Even when he made officers to write promotion examination in August 2019, he still refused to release the promotion in October. These are clear signs of administrative ineptitude and nonchalance”, another source claimed.

He said “Our prayer is that Yohanna-Silas Mshelia should be forced to hand over and must not stay a minute longer in office. Both Mohammad Mustapha Abdallah and Yohanna-Silas Mshelia be probed and prosecuted. Abdallah should not be allowed to conduct the current recruitment exercise so that Nigerians can be selected on merit to serve their country.

“Emplug firm used by Abdallah and Mshelia to siphon funds should be investigated and the N100 million deal be immediately revoked while the N60 million paid be refunded. The pending promotion of staff released and harmonisation be conducted to properly place officers where they belong. We also demand immediate release of monthly overhead to Commanders to check corruption.”

Another enraged top officer in the NDLEA said “Abdallah has no power to extend the service of a retired officer. We are demanding the immediate hand over of Mr. Yohanna-Sila Mshelia to the most senior officer in the Administration Department. We also want him to be investigated for the illegal payments to Abdallah for inconsequential monthly foreign travels since 2016. The promotion of officers has been neglected by Abdallah, the time table he released in 2018 after several agitations was not adhered to. He promoted 11 very senior officers and 1,311 junior others in 2018 and went to sleep. After many agitations, he fixed examination for Salah period in August 2019 still we went to write and he has refused to release the results. If he had released the promotion, it would have been captured in the proposed 2020 budget but he deliberately declined to do the needful because he has no interest in staff welfare. This is why we are calling for his immediate removal so that somebody with passion for the job can be appointed.

“The worst thing that will happen to drug control in Nigeria is for him to be allowed to conduct the ongoing recruitment. Abdallah has perfected plans to deceive Nigerian youths by corruptly selecting 5,000 persons who did not apply online leaving the over 100,000 applicants that took the pains to apply.

“Besides, Abdallah in outright disregard of due process paid Emplug an ICT firm the sum of N100 million for opening the recruitment portal that lasted for only three weeks. This is the highest of all frauds and it is unacceptable to us. We demand for his immediate sack and investigation. When officers die there is no money, when they are transferred, there is no money but there is money for his monthly travels abroad. Out of the N100 million Abdallah has paid Emplug N60 million for creating a portal. This is unheard of. This administrative recklessness must be urgently addressed by the Presidency. In fact, we have passed a vote of no confidence in him.”

When contacted, the NDLEA spokesman, Mr. Jonah Achema, said all the allegations are baseless.

“Yohanna Sila Mshelia, former Director of Administration and Finance has retired as at Friday, October 11, 2019, which was his due retirement date. The collation of all applications is ongoing, contrary to the claims in the petition. The Chairman/Chief Executive has assured recruitment

Opportunity for all applicants”, he said.

(Credit: Independent)