NDLEA dismisses budget padding allegation

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has dismissed insinuations in some reports that its proposed 2022 budget was padded with N4.5 billion.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Babafemi said the agency had been inundated with calls and messages since Tuesday, seeking clarification on an alleged insertion of N4.5 billion into the NDLEA’s proposed budget being considered by the Senate.

According to him, the amount was allegedly said to be for the construction of police barracks for personnel.

According to him, this statement is, therefore, a formal response and clarification of reports that suggest that the agency’s budget proposal submitted by the Federal Ministry of Finance was padded with N4.5 billion for construction of police barracks.

“It is public knowledge that President Muhammadu Buhari magnanimously approved the construction of barracks for NDLEA over a period of four years, starting from 2022 fiscal year.

“Investigations have confirmed that the amount in question is, indeed, for the construction of NDLEA barracks but typographically inputted as ‘police barracks’ in one of the documents attached to the proposal from the budget office.

“The typo error has since been corrected and the budget cleared on Tuesday by the Senate Committee,” he said