The Federal Character Commission, FCC, has called for the immediate suspension of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, recruitment exercise over alleged violations of federal character principles.
The Chairman of the FCC’s Financial Services Committee, Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, made the call at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
Mr Bawa-Allah said allegations surrounding the ongoing recruitment exercise required investigation, adding that the constitutionally mandated commission was not invited to monitor the process.
He said hundreds of candidates whose names appeared on the published final list, and who completed screening, documentation and medical examinations, were not invited for training.
Mr Bawa-Allah said the development had generated anxiety, allegations of manipulation and a growing crisis of public confidence in the recruitment exercise.
“Some affected candidates resigned from their jobs, trained replacements, incurred substantial expenses and made important personal decisions.
“They did all these with the expectation that their published selection would lead to training and formal engagement,” he said.
He said the NCS, in a statement issued on Oct. 19, titled “Nigeria Customs Reviews Recruitment Complaints, Opens Doors for Engagement with Aggrieved Applicants,” acknowledged the complaints but failed to address the concerns satisfactorily.
Mr Bawa-Allah alleged that the FCC was not involved in the process, adding that correspondence notifying the service of the commission’s concerns was ignored.
He said attempts to engage the NCS were also treated with disdain.
“It is worthy to note that the FCC is not an advisory body that federal establishments may recognise only when convenient.
“It is a constitutional institution established to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with Federal Character Principles in appointments and recruitment across Ministries, Departments and Agencies,” he said.
Mr Bawa-Allah cited Paragraph 8(1) of Part I, Section C of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as the legal basis for the commission’s intervention.
The provision empowers the FCC to formulate equitable distribution formulas for public service positions and promote, monitor and enforce compliance with proportional representation principles.
He said the commission’s recruitment procedures required federal institutions to invite it to monitor their recruitment exercises.
He added that successful candidates must be reconciled with approved distribution formulas covering all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory before a Certificate of Compliance could be issued.
“These safeguards protect merit, equity, transparency and every qualified Nigerian’s right to fair consideration, regardless of state of origin, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or social connection.
“It is deeply troubling that the NCS conducted this exercise without the commission’s monitoring and oversight,” he said
Mr Bawa-Allah said the NCS published final recruitment lists for the Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres between July 28 and July 30, 2026.
According to him, the publication created a legitimate expectation that candidates who satisfied the stated requirements would be treated transparently and informed of reasons for any subsequent disqualification.
He said reports that more than 500 candidates might have been excluded, while allegedly unlisted persons received training invitations, raised serious questions about the process.
“For clarity, the commission is not asking that unqualified candidates be recruited. The FCC does not replace merit.
“It requires suitably qualified candidates from all parts of Nigeria to receive equitable opportunities through transparent, verifiable and nationally inclusive procedures,” he said.
Bawa-Allah called on the NCS and its Comptroller-General to suspend the training exercise immediately and provide the commission with relevant recruitment records.
He also demanded evidence of a Certificate of Compliance and reconciliation of the published final list with the list of candidates invited for training.
The chairman urged the service to cooperate with the FCC’s Committee on Financial Services and any investigation lawfully conducted by the commission.
He further called for the correction of all verified irregularities identified during the review.
Bawa-Allah said the FCC would invoke the investigative, compliance and enforcement mechanisms available under the Constitution, the FCC Establishment Act and applicable recruitment guidelines.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to fairness, equity, merit, transparency and justice for all Nigerians.
NAN