MoRGANABLE Politics/Governance
The commission also accused the Customs Service of conducting the recruitment exercise without the required monitoring and oversight of the FCC, despite repeated attempts to engage the agency
KaNo —
The Federal Character Commission has called on the Nigeria Customs Service to immediately suspend its ongoing recruitment training over alleged violations of federal character requirements and the exclusion of hundreds of candidates whose names appeared on the published final recruitment lists.
The commission also demanded comprehensive recruitment records, evidence of compliance with constitutional provisions and written explanations for candidates allegedly omitted from the training exercise despite completing the required selection processes.
The demands were contained in a statement made available to Punch News on Friday and signed by the Chairman of the commission’s Committee on Financial Services, Abdulwasiu K. Bawa-Allah.
According to the commission, reports indicated that hundreds of applicants who successfully completed screening, documentation and medical examinations were excluded from training, while some individuals whose names allegedly did not appear on the published final lists received invitations.
It expressed concern that the development had generated widespread anxiety among affected candidates and raised questions about transparency, fairness and possible manipulation of the recruitment process.
The commission noted that some applicants had reportedly resigned from their previous employment, trained replacements and incurred significant expenses after their names appeared on the final recruitment lists.
It argued that excluding such candidates without formal explanations could undermine public confidence in federal recruitment exercises and expose affected individuals to unnecessary hardship.
The commission also accused the Customs Service of conducting the recruitment exercise without the required monitoring and oversight of the FCC, despite repeated attempts to engage the agency.
“The constitutionally mandated institution (FCC) to monitor and ascertain its claims was not invited to monitor the exercise,” the statement said.
It further alleged that efforts to obtain information and engage the Customs Service had either been ignored or rebuffed by the Comptroller-General of Customs.
Citing the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act, the commission maintained that its mandate included monitoring recruitment and appointments across federal institutions to ensure equitable representation of Nigerians.
It stressed that federal establishments were required to comply with established recruitment procedures, including inviting the commission to monitor exercises and verify the distribution of successful candidates across states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The Federal Character Commission is not an advisory body that federal establishments may recognize only when convenient,” the statement added.
The commission explained that its involvement was necessary to reconcile recruitment outcomes with the approved federal character distribution formula before issuing certificates of compliance.
It maintained that the procedures were designed to promote merit, fairness and national inclusion while preventing discrimination based on geographical origin, ethnicity, religion or political connections.
“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 stated.
The FCC consequently questioned why the Customs Service proceeded with the recruitment exercise without its participation and whether the agency obtained a valid certificate of compliance before inviting candidates for training.
It also demanded clarification on the criteria used to determine which successful applicants progressed from the published final recruitment lists to the training stage.
According to the statement, the Customs Service published final recruitment lists for the Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres between July 28 and 30, 2026.
The commission argued that publishing the lists created legitimate expectations among successful candidates that their recruitment status would be handled transparently and that any subsequent disqualification would be properly communicated.
It cited reports suggesting that more than 500 candidates were excluded from the training exercise, which reportedly commenced on October 9, despite completing the stipulated recruitment requirements.
However, the commission clarified that its intervention was not intended to compel the employment of applicants who failed to meet the required qualifications.
“For clarity, the Commission is not asking that unqualified candidates be recruited. Federal Character 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,” it explained.
The commission therefore directed the Customs Service to suspend the ongoing training exercise pending clarification of the alleged irregularities and reconciliation of the recruitment records.
It demanded access to applications, examination results, screening documents, final selection records and training invitations, including the state-of-origin and local government details of candidates.
The FCC also requested evidence of any certificate of compliance obtained before the commencement of training and insisted that the published final lists be reconciled with the names of candidates eventually invited.
It further demanded that every excluded applicant receive a written explanation outlining their recruitment status and the reasons for any disqualification.
The commission urged the Customs Service to cooperate with its Committee on Financial Services and any investigation instituted under the relevant laws.
Warning of possible enforcement measures, the FCC maintained that compliance with constitutional recruitment safeguards was mandatory for all federal institutions.
“The Commission will invoke the investigative, compliance and enforcement mechanisms available under the Constitution, the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act and applicable recruitment guidelines.
“Compliance with constitutional safeguards is an obligation, not an act of institutional courtesy,” the statement added.
The commission also appealed to affected candidates to remain peaceful and submit relevant documents, including their published-list details, screening records and correspondence, through appropriate channels.
It assured applicants that complaints would be examined individually and warned against intimidation or victimisation of those seeking administrative justice.
Reaffirming its commitment to equitable access to federal employment, the commission maintained that recruitment opportunities should not depend on political influence, personal connections or privileged backgrounds.
“The Federal Character Principle strengthens national unity by assuring Nigerians that federal opportunities do not belong to privileged families, influential personalities or favoured sections of the country. They belong equitably to the Nigerian people,” it stated.
It further insisted that no federal institution was exempt from constitutional oversight or permitted to deny qualified Nigerians legitimate opportunities through arbitrary recruitment decisions.
