FCC asks Customs to halt recruitment training over 500 excluded candidates

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has asked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to suspend its ongoing recruitment training, saying more than 500 candidates whose names appeared on the published final list were not invited.

The FCC's Financial Services Committee chairman, Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, made the demand at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday. He said the situation has caused anxiety among applicants and raised questions about how the exercise was handled.

Training for successful candidates began on 9 October 2026.

Customs published final lists for the Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres between 28 and 30 July 2026. According to the FCC, that publication led candidates to believe they would move on to training once they met the requirements.

Bawa-Allah said some affected applicants had resigned from their jobs, trained replacements and spent money in expectation of employment. "They did all these with the expectation that their published selection would lead to training and formal engagement," he said.

What the FCC wants

The commission is demanding the recruitment records, including examination results, screening documents, final selection lists, training invitations and state-of-origin details. It also wants Customs to explain how candidates moved from the published list to the training list, and to show evidence of a Certificate of Compliance.

Bawa-Allah said the FCC was not invited to monitor the exercise, despite its constitutional role in enforcing federal character in federal appointments. He said letters to Customs about the commission's concerns were ignored.

"No public institution is above the Constitution," he said. He stressed that the FCC was not asking for unqualified candidates to be recruited. "Federal Character does not replace merit," he said.

The FCC also urged affected candidates to remain peaceful and submit their records for investigation.

Customs responds

Customs spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada told BBC Hausa that appearing on the published list did not automatically guarantee employment. He said candidates still had to pass checks on age, physical fitness, medical condition and documents.

Maiwada said some of those complaining tried to use unofficial channels to get in, which was why they were removed. He added that some applicants were found to have Hepatitis B or high blood pressure, while others allegedly submitted fake credentials or were above the age limit.

He assured that anyone wrongly excluded would be reinstated. "If we find that any candidate was removed erroneously, we will promptly reinstate them," he said.

Customs had earlier said in a 19 October statement that it was reviewing complaints and would engage aggrieved applicants. The FCC described that response as unsatisfactory.

The recruitment began in December 2024 and drew 573,680 applications. Customs announced 3,852 successful candidates in July 2026.

What happens next

The FCC says it will use its investigative and enforcement powers if violations are confirmed. The outcome will decide whether any applicants are reinstated and whether the training continues as scheduled.