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By Daniel Adaji
Several Nigerians recruited into the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NATCOM) say they have been left stranded for over two years—offered jobs, Identity cards, and appointment letters, but without salaries or official resumption since 2021.
One of the affected recruits told Pointblanknews.com that despite being employed, the promised training and deployment never materialized.
“I have been offered the job with an offer letter and ID card, but no salary, and we have not been asked to resume since 2021,” he said.
Pointblanknews.com review of Nigeria’s national budget under the Office of the National Security Adviser revealed that between 2022 and 2025, a total of N38,973,992,158 was allocated to NATCOM, out of which N8,887,661,475 was earmarked for personnel costs.
The Centre’s annual allocations were N11bn in 2022, N7.69bn in 2023, N8bn in 2024, and N11.49bn in 2025.
NATCOM was established in 2021 when former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the transformation of the Presidential Task Force on Small Arms into a permanent security institution. The move was part of Nigeria’s commitment to the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ammunitions and Other Related Materials, which mandates member states to control the flow of illicit weapons fueling insecurity in West Africa.
The agency was expected to serve as the national coordinating body, working with other ECOWAS states to trace, seize, and destroy illegal arms while preventing cross-border proliferation.
The NATCOM (Establishment) Bill, 2022, was passed by the 9th National Assembly and recommitted by the 10th National Assembly.
Recruits were informed that they would undergo training and be deployed before the 2023 general election. But years later, the programme appears stalled.
”Some persons were offered the same job between 2023 and 2024 through the National Assembly. A director in NATCOM offered some persons employment through the National Assembly. My friend is even one of them. But when some cabals at the National Assembly discovered that the director was trying to behave funny, they sacked him,” the recruit said.
Beyond delayed deployment, allegations of financial exploitation have surfaced. Some recruits claim they were asked to pay between N100,000 and N350,000 for uniforms, ID cards, and logistics.
”Although, I wasn’t asked to pay for the job, some of my colleagues paid to get the offer. Some were made to pay up to N350,000 per person,” he said.
A review of the Facebook page of NATCOM showed that many Nigerians’ hopes have been dashed by the promised job without success.
A Facebook user, Wuyitwe Simji Bakse, said, “We are tired of this NATCOM of a thing, GOD bless us with any job opportunities.”
Similar complaints have been linked to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN ) task force, raising suspicions of a wider recruitment scam. Another victim narrated how his family was left devastated after losing money.
“It’s been more than two years since we were offered this job, but to date, nobody is saying anything about resumption, any salary. They collected lots of money from us without a successful job. I paid more than N100,000 at the time for the uniform, apart from other money I cannot remember. Sometimes N50,000, N30,000, like that. I have since returned to the village to farm since there’s no hope of employment in view,” he said.
He added, “I am not the only one. There are many others who I believe must have been scammed too. We are calling on the government to intervene and help us secure legitimate jobs to boost our living standards.”
Efforts to get a response from the Office of the National Security Adviser on why the recruits are yet to resume duties or receive salaries proved abortive, as messages to his line went unanswered, and phone calls did not go through.
Likewise, an email sent to NATCOM’s official address had not been responded to at the time of filing this report.