After repeated warnings, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) has decided to institute criminal proceedings against the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, over alleged violations of the FCC Act. The FCC had earlier accused the NCS of conducting its staff recruitment exercise in clear violation of the law on federal character and warned the federal agency to retrace its steps. The FCC resorted to litigation to force NCS to comply with its directive.
The case, filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, concerns four alleged violations of the Federal Character Commission Act, Cap. F7, LFN 2004, during the Service’s 2025/2026 recruitment exercise.
Spokesperson, Mr Lawrence Ademola, said the charge, dated Nov. 12, 2026, and registered as FHC/ABJ/CR/772/2026, followed efforts to obtain recruitment records and monitor compliance with federal character principles.
According to him, the Customs failed to provide requested recruitment records, including nominal rolls, despite a formal request dated March 25, 2026.
It also accused the Service of failing to submit relevant stages of the recruitment exercise for monitoring and disregarding its Oct. 23, 2026 directive.
The directive reportedly required Customs to suspend specified recruitment and training activities pending the Commission’s review of the exercise.
The Commission further alleged that the Service failed to provide clear recruitment criteria and comprehensive eligibility guidelines needed to assess vacancy distribution across states and geopolitical zones.
The FCC maintained that monitoring recruitment, accessing relevant records and ensuring equitable representation were statutory responsibilities that public institutions must fulfil.
It stressed that its mandate was not to recruit on behalf of government agencies but to monitor, assess and enforce compliance with federal character requirements.
The Commission said the prosecution reflected its determination, under the leadership of its Executive Chairman, Mrs Hulayat Omidiran, to ensure transparency, fairness and equitable distribution of employment opportunities.
The FCC derives its prosecutorial authority from Section 5(2) of the FCC Act, which empowers it to institute legal proceedings, including prosecution, against persons or bodies failing to comply with the Act.
Section 4(1)(c) further empowers the Commission to prosecute heads or staff members of government ministries, departments and agencies that fail to comply with prescribed federal character principles or formulae
