FCC drags Customs to court over 2025/2026 recruitment violation

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has initiated legal proceedings against the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its Chief Commissioner, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, alleging violations of the Federal Character Commission Act during the 2025/2026 recruitment process. The FCC sought access to recruitment documents and oversight of the recruitment exercise to ensure compliance with the Federal Character principle.

According to the charges filed, the NCS allegedly neglected to provide the requested recruitment records, such as the nominal rolls, despite receiving a formal letter from the FCC on March 25, 2026. The commission further accused the NCS of failing to present crucial stages of the recruitment process for FCC monitoring. Additionally, the FCC contends that the NCS did not adhere to its October 23, 2026 directive to suspend certain recruitment and training activities pending a review.

The charges also allege that the NCS failed to furnish clear recruitment criteria and comprehensive eligibility guidelines, hindering the FCC's ability to determine the distribution of vacancies across different states and geopolitical zones. The FCC emphasized that monitoring recruitment, accessing relevant records, and ensuring equitable representation are statutory obligations, not discretionary decisions that public institutions may neglect.