The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to suspend its ongoing training exercise for newly recruited officers pending an investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
The directive follows reports that hundreds of candidates whose names appeared on the published final list and who had completed the required screening, documentation and medical examinations were not invited to participate in the training exercise.
Briefing journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, the Chairman of the FCC Committee on Financial Services, Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, said the commission was not invited to monitor the recruitment exercise.
“It is deeply troubling that the NCS conducted this exercise without the commission’s monitoring and oversight,” he said.
Bawa-Allah said the allegations of violations of federal character principles required a thorough investigation, noting that the affected candidates had made significant personal and financial sacrifices in anticipation of their employment.
“Some affected candidates resigned from their jobs, trained replacements, incurred substantial expenses and made important personal decisions,” he said.
“They did all these with the expectation that their published selection would lead to training and formal engagement.”
He stressed that the FCC was not an advisory body whose oversight federal establishments could recognise only when convenient.
“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.
Bawa-Allah directed the NCS to cooperate fully with the commission’s Committee on Financial Services and any investigation lawfully instituted by the commission.
He emphasised that the FCC would invoke its investigative, compliance and enforcement powers under the Constitution to ensure transparency and accountability in the recruitment process.
He added that the commission would take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with federal character principles.
“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.
In a statement issued on October 19, the NCS acknowledged complaints from applicants who appeared on the recruitment shortlist but were subsequently disqualified from proceeding to the training college.
The Service said the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, had directed a case-by-case review of the complaints after meeting with some of the affected applicants.
It, however, clarified that appearing on the final shortlist did not automatically guarantee enlistment, noting that candidates were required to pass several stages of verification, including credential checks, physical fitness assessments, medical examinations, age verification and drug screening.
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