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By Emma Njoku
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismissed insinuations that it padded its proposed 2022 budget submitted to the Senate by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The agency has been inundated with calls and messages since Tuesday, over alleged insertion of N4.5 billion for the construction of police barracks into the NDLEA’s proposed budget being considered by the upper legislative chamber.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, while reacting to the reports in a statement, yesterday, said there was a typographical error in one of the documents attached to the proposal from the Budget Office.
He explained that the N4.5 billion was actually meant for the construction of NDLEA barracks, but was typographically inputted as ‘police barracks’ on the document.
He said: “It is public knowledge that President Muhamadu 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.”
