In the first count, the commission accused the Customs Service of failing to submit its recruitment nominal rolls despite receiving a formal request in a letter dated March 25, 2026.
Adeniyi was also accused of allegedly allowing the Service to disregard the commission’s request, an action the FCC said violated provisions of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act.
The second count concerns allegations that the Customs Service and its Comptroller-General failed to present themselves and relevant recruitment activities for the commission’s monitoring between September 14 and October 7, 2026.
In the third count, the commission alleged that the defendants continued recruitment and training activities despite receiving a directive dated October 23, 2026, instructing the Service to suspend the exercise pending a review.
The FCC further accused the Customs Service of failing to preserve relevant recruitment records and provide access required for its monitoring responsibilities.
The fourth count centres on the alleged failure to provide clear eligibility requirements and comprehensive recruitment guidelines despite repeated requests made between January 30 and October 20, 2026.
According to the commission, the absence of the requested information prevented it from properly assessing the distribution of vacancies across states and geopolitical zones.
The charges were brought under Sections 14(3) and 15 of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act, which provide for offences and penalties relating to non-compliance with the commission’s lawful requirements.
The prosecution reportedly listed three witnesses, including Abdulwasiu K. Bawa-Allah, Chairman of the FCC Committee on Financial Services; committee member Isa Jibrin Bida; and the committee’s clerk, Usman Yaruwa.
It also identified 14 documents it intends to rely on during the proceedings. These reportedly include official correspondence between the commission and the Customs Service, a report on the Service and records of the commission’s October 22 press conference.
The legal action follows growing tensions over the Customs Service’s 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, particularly complaints from applicants who claimed they were shortlisted and completed screening procedures but were subsequently excluded from the training programme.
On October 23, the commission called on the Customs Service to suspend its ongoing training activities, citing concerns over alleged irregularities in the selection process. It also requested recruitment records and explanations regarding candidates who were reportedly excluded despite completing the required stages.
The Customs Service had earlier announced that 3,852 candidates were selected from 573,680 applications received for the 2024/2025 exercise. The successful applicants were drawn from the Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.
The Service subsequently acknowledged complaints from some applicants and announced a review of cases involving 397 disqualified candidates, maintaining that appearing on the published shortlist did not automatically guarantee final enlistment.
The dispute has raised questions about transparency, recruitment monitoring and the responsibility of federal agencies to comply with constitutional provisions on fair representation.
The court proceedings are expected to determine the allegations against the Customs Service and its Comptroller-General. The defendants remain entitled to the presumption of innocence unless the allegations are established before the court.
Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia
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