The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has referred to as on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to droop its ongoing recruitment coaching over allegations that greater than 500 candidates whose names appeared on the printed last listing have been excluded from the train.
The fee additionally demanded full recruitment data from the NCS to find out whether or not the train complied with constitutional provisions on federal character, equitable illustration and transparency.
The growth comes amid rising controversy over the exclusion of candidates who reportedly handed the required examinations and accomplished screening and documentation, but weren’t invited to coaching, which commenced on October 9, 2026.
However, the Customs Service has promised to reinstate candidates discovered to have been wrongly disqualified, whereas accusing some aggrieved candidates of making an attempt to safe employment by means of unofficial channels.
The Chairman of the FCC Financial Services Committee, Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, disclosed the fee’s place throughout a press convention in Abuja.
He expressed concern over experiences that some candidates whose names appeared on the printed last recruitment listing have been subsequently excluded, whereas people allegedly absent from the listing obtained invites for coaching.
According to him, a number of the affected candidates had reportedly resigned from their jobs, educated replacements and incurred substantial bills in anticipation of their employment by the service.
Bawa-Allah stated the state of affairs had generated anxiousness amongst candidates and raised issues about attainable manipulation of the recruitment course of.
He additionally faulted the NCS for allegedly conducting the train with out inviting the fee to observe it, regardless of its constitutional duty to advertise and implement compliance with the Federal Character Principle in federal appointments.
The FCC demanded the examination outcomes, screening paperwork, last choice lists, coaching invites and different related data, together with state-of-origin and native authorities particulars, to ascertain whether or not the recruitment complied with the prescribed pointers.
It additionally requested the Customs Service to elucidate the factors used to maneuver candidates from the printed last listing to the coaching listing and whether or not a legitimate Certificate of Compliance was obtained earlier than coaching invites have been issued.
Bawa-Allah maintained that the fee was not demanding the employment of unqualified candidates however insisting that certified Nigerians from all components of the nation ought to obtain equitable consideration.
He stated, “These questions concern constitutional compliance, administrative justice, institutional accountability and safety in opposition to arbitrary acts. The Nigeria Customs Service printed last recruitment lists for the Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres between 28 and 30 July 2026.
“That publication created a reputable expectation that candidates who met the ultimate disclosed circumstances can be handled transparently and notified, with causes, of any subsequent disqualification.
“Reports that greater than 500 candidates might have been excluded whereas allegedly unlisted individuals obtained coaching invites increase critical questions. Some media have reported that the affected candidates shaped a gaggle of roughly 500 individuals who had efficiently accomplished the required phases with out receiving invites for coaching which begun on 9 October 2026.
“The publication additionally said that its makes an attempt to acquire a response from the Nigeria Customs Service have been unsuccessful. For readability, the Commission is just not asking that unqualified candidates be recruited. Federal Character doesn’t change benefit.
“It requires suitably qualified candidates from all parts of Nigeria to receive equitable opportunities through transparent, verifiable and nationally inclusive procedures.”
The fee subsequently demanded that the NCS instantly droop the continued coaching, reconcile the printed last recruitment listing with the listing of candidates invited for coaching and supply written explanations to candidates whose names have been omitted.
It additionally requested the service to provide proof of any Certificate of Compliance obtained earlier than issuing coaching invites and clarify why the recruitment train proceeded with out the fee’s monitoring and oversight.
The FCC warned that it might invoke its investigative, compliance and enforcement mechanisms to deal with any established violations.
It urged affected candidates to stay peaceable and submit their appointment data, printed recruitment lists, correspondence, screening paperwork and different related proof for investigation.
The fee additional warned in opposition to makes an attempt to intimidate or victimise candidates searching for administrative justice.
Bawa-Allah stated, “No public institution is above the Constitution. No Chief Executive may exclude lawful oversight. No qualified Nigerian should lose a legitimate opportunity for lack of political influence or powerful connections.”
Responding to the controversy, the NCS stated some candidates protesting their exclusion had tried to achieve employment by means of unofficial channels.
The service’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this in an interview with BBC Hausa, explaining that showing on a printed listing didn’t mechanically assure employment.
According to him, candidates have been required to go extra screening checks earlier than they might proceed to coaching.
He stated some candidates have been disqualified for failing to fulfill prescribed necessities, together with age limits, bodily health, medical assessments and documentation requirements.
“Among those who are currently complaining, some attempted to use backdoor channels to gain entry, which is why they were removed,” the spokesman stated.
Maiwada, nonetheless, assured candidates who believed that they had been unjustly excluded that their complaints can be investigated.
“If we find that any candidate was removed erroneously, we will promptly reinstate them,” he stated.
The spokesperson defined that the recruitment course of included drug checks, age verification, medical assessments and different checks to find out candidates’ eligibility.
He added that some candidates have been reportedly discovered to have medical circumstances, together with Hepatitis B and hypertension, whereas others allegedly submitted faux credentials or exceeded the stipulated age restrict.
“It is important to understand that being invited for screening does not mean you have automatically secured the job,” he stated.
Maiwada additionally addressed experiences that some candidates had resigned from their earlier jobs after seeing their names on the profitable candidates’ listing, solely to be excluded throughout subsequent screening.
He stated the service had warned candidates in opposition to leaving their current employment earlier than finishing the recruitment course of.
“We warned them not to terminate their current employment because being invited to this stage does not guarantee a job,” he stated.
He added that candidates intending to depart their jobs have been suggested to liaise with their employers and adjust to the required discover preparations.
According to him, candidates who go the screening train should nonetheless meet the necessities of the coaching programme earlier than being commissioned as customs officers.
He listed examinations, parade drills, firearms coaching and customs operational programs among the many necessities recruits should efficiently full.
The controversy has renewed questions on transparency and compliance with federal character necessities within the recruitment of personnel into federal businesses.
In an announcement dated October 19, 2026, titled “Nigeria Customs Reviews Recruitment Complaints, Opens Door for Engagement with Aggrieved Applicants,” the NCS acknowledged receiving complaints from candidates who participated within the recruitment train however have been subsequently excluded.
The service introduced plans to interact affected candidates, though the FCC described its clarification as unsatisfactory.
The fee alleged that its makes an attempt to interact the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and procure related recruitment data had been ignored or rebuffed.
It maintained that federal establishments have been required to ask the fee to observe recruitment workouts and reconcile profitable candidates with the authorized distribution formulation throughout the states and the Federal Capital Territory earlier than a Certificate of Compliance may very well be issued.
The FCC stated its mandate was derived from the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act.
According to Bawa-Allah, Paragraph 8 of Part I of the Third Schedule to the Constitution empowers the fee to formulate equitable formulation for distributing public service positions and to advertise, monitor and implement proportional illustration.
He added that the fee’s enabling regulation empowered it to demand employment returns, examine recruitment workouts and implement compliance with its pointers.
The Federal Character Principle is meant to advertise equity and nationwide unity by guaranteeing that employment alternatives in federal establishments are distributed equitably amongst Nigerians.
The Customs recruitment train attracted 573,680 purposes, from which the service introduced 3,852 profitable candidates in July 2026.
The recruitment coated three entry cadres: Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant.
The NCS subsequently invited profitable candidates for bodily screening and documentation on the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja, in September, after which some candidates obtained invites for coaching.
In August, Adeniyi defended the recruitment course of, saying the allocation of profitable candidates was equal throughout the 36 states of the federation.
However, allegations that candidates whose names appeared on the printed last listing have been excluded from coaching have positioned the train underneath renewed scrutiny.
The FCC has referred to as for the reconciliation of the printed recruitment listing with the coaching listing, whereas the Customs Service has maintained that each one candidates should fulfill the stipulated necessities earlier than employment.
The final result of the fee’s calls for and the NCS investigation will decide whether or not any candidates have been wrongly excluded and whether or not corrective motion is important.
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