The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has defended its ongoing recruitment process, accusing some applicants protesting their exclusion of attempting to secure jobs through unofficial channels.
The explanation comes amid growing allegations of irregularities in the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise. Some applicants claim their names appeared on the successful candidates’ list before they were later dropped during subsequent screening.
NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada addressed the controversy in an interview with BBC Hausa. He stressed that appearing on the list did not automatically guarantee employment.
According to him, candidates had to pass additional medical, physical and documentation checks before they could qualify for training.
Maiwada also promised to investigate complaints from applicants who believe officials wrongly excluded them from the process.
Why Customs Dropped Some Recruitment Candidates
Maiwada alleged that some applicants who protested their exclusion had attempted to use unofficial channels to secure employment.
“Among those who are currently complaining, some attempted to use backdoor channels to gain entry, which is why they were removed,” the spokesperson said.
He explained that the service conducted further checks after the initial selection stages to confirm whether applicants met its recruitment requirements.
The NCS disclosed that 397 candidates failed physical screening for reasons involving age, physical fitness, substance abuse and documentation.
Maiwada added that some applicants had medical conditions, including Hepatitis B and high blood pressure, while others allegedly presented fake credentials or exceeded the permitted age limit.
He maintained that candidates who failed to satisfy the requirements could not proceed to the next stage.
However, the spokesperson assured applicants that the service would correct any errors discovered during investigations.
“If we find that any candidate was removed erroneously, we will promptly reinstate them,” he said.
Customs Addresses Reports of Applicants Losing Jobs
The recruitment controversy has also affected applicants who reportedly resigned from their previous jobs after seeing their names on the successful candidates’ list.
Some of them were later excluded during further screening, prompting concerns about the consequences of the recruitment process.
Maiwada said the service had warned applicants against leaving their existing employment before completing all recruitment stages.
He explained that an invitation for screening did not amount to a final job offer. Applicants who planned to leave their jobs were advised to discuss the situation with their employers and follow the required notice procedures.
The spokesperson added that passing the screening stage would not automatically guarantee commissioning as a customs officer.
Successful candidates must still complete the required training, which includes examinations, parade drills, firearms training and customs operational courses.
Federal Character Commission Raises Concerns
The Customs recruitment controversy has also attracted the attention of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), which called for the exercise to be suspended over alleged breaches of federal character principles.
Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, chairman of the FCC Financial Services Committee, said the commission was not invited to monitor the recruitment exercise.
The development has raised questions about whether the process complied with requirements for fair representation across Nigeria.
Reports have also circulated about an unverified recruitment list allegedly favouring a particular region. Maiwada did not comment on that list.
Meanwhile, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi defended the recruitment process in August, saying successful candidates were allocated equally across the country’s 36 states.
Customs Recruitment Attracted Over 573,000 Applicants
The NCS announced 3,852 successful candidates in July after receiving 573,680 applications for positions across three entry cadres: superintendent, inspectorate and customs assistant.
In September, the service invited successful candidates for physical screening and documentation at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja. Some applicants were subsequently invited for training.
The large number of applicants and the allegations surrounding the screening process have placed the recruitment exercise under renewed scrutiny.
The NCS maintains that every candidate must meet the prescribed conditions before receiving employment. It has also pledged to investigate complaints and reinstate applicants where officials establish that errors occurred.