- Allegations that the EFCC bungled its recruitment exercise should be investigated urgently
One week after the allegation that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) infringed on the rules in its latest staff recruitment exercise, it is unfortunate that the anti-graft agency has refused to refute the claim. Twenty-four young Nigerians who had been allegedly admitted to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for training had petitioned the acting chairman of the commission that, three weeks after they commenced training, they were dismissed for reportedly failing medical test.
The youths said they had participated in the various layers of the tests, including medical examination at the Nigerian Air Force Base Hospital in Kaduna before they were invited to participate in the training programme. They claim that they had actually been congratulated for passing the medical test.
Their lawyer, Mr. Olusoji Toki, told the EFCC boss that the 24 trainee recruits were sidetracked to make room for “special candidates”. It is disheartening that an agency of government that lays claim to fighting the integrity battle on behalf of the country has refused to react to the allegation. This could suggest to many that there is some truth in the allegation. The EFCC is not known to be taciturn, rather, it has been accused many times of being garrulous and rushing to the media even when investigations are yet to commence on cases.
In the on-going controversies over recovered cash, the commission made its catch public before it could even answer basic questions about the owners of the building and legal occupants of the apartments. But, in this case, the young people have been left all alone.
This is one case that should not be left to die naturally. If Nigeria is to be revived, justice must be seen to thrive in the land. It is a notorious fact that it takes having godfathers or parting with huge sums of money as gratification to recruitment officers or agencies to scale the unemployment hurdle. It is easily recalled that it was such circumstances under Mr. Abba Moro as interior minister that a Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise led to the deaths of many young Nigerians. Each had been made to pay for registration on-line and then invited for a test that led to stampede. The lot fell on the EFCC to charge the former minister and others involved in that sad episode to court.
As the agency charged with promoting integrity in governance, and moral probity in the society, the EFCC is expected to be above board always. In this case, while not rushing to conclusion (since it is still an accusation), the handling of the petition by the commission falls below public expectation.
Every public organisation should be transparent in its recruitment process. All Nigerians are entitled to apply, and after passing the test, no one has the right to deprive them of the opportunity based on excuses that cannot pass legal and moral scrutiny. We therefore call on the EFCC to clear the air immediately. Were the candidates properly screened as they have alleged? Did they pass the medical test? If they did not, why were they invited for the training? At what point was it discovered that they had such medical conditions that make them unfit to undergo the training? How were the substitutes chosen? Did they also undergo the rigorous screening procedure?
In view of these posers, the Federal Government should institute a probe into the cloudy circumstances surrounding the matter and make its findings public within a short period. Justice delayed is justice denied.
