Minister for Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revealed that about 1,300 applicants who took part in the recent security services recruitment exercise tested positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) during the mandatory medical screening.
Speaking before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on Monday, July 6, 2026, the Minister said the medical examination was a standard requirement aimed at assessing the health and fitness of applicants before they are enlisted into the country’s security services.
Hon . Muntaka explained that applicants who failed the medical screening were not informed directly of the specific reasons for their disqualification. According to him, this approach was adopted to protect applicants from emotional distress, especially in cases involving sensitive health conditions such as HIV.
He noted that disqualified applicants were instead provided with contact details to enable them seek further clarification if they wanted to know why they had not progressed in the recruitment process.
“The recent recruitment, we had about 1,300 applicants who tested positive for HIV. You cannot simply send someone a message telling them they have HIV. That is not the proper procedure because the person needs counselling and orientation first,” he told the committee.
The Interior Minister said applicants who contacted the designated officials were guided through the process and informed about the reasons for their disqualification in an appropriate manner.
He further disclosed that some of the medical conditions identified during the screening are treatable, making it important for affected applicants to receive the necessary counselling and medical attention.
According to him, individuals who receive treatment for treatable conditions may be eligible to apply again in future recruitment exercises if they meet all the required standards.
Hon Muntaka stressed that the recruitment process is designed not only to ensure that security personnel are medically fit for service but also to handle sensitive health information with professionalism, confidentiality and care.
