The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that some applicants protesting their exclusion from its recruitment exercise allegedly attempted to secure employment through unofficial channels, while assuring that candidates wrongly removed from the process could be reinstated.
The NCS national spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this during an interview with BBC Hausa published on Friday, October 23, 2026, amid growing controversy surrounding the recruitment exercise.
Maiwada explained that some of the applicants complaining about their exclusion were allegedly removed because they attempted to use backdoor channels to secure recruitment.
However, he assured that the service would restore the names of candidates found to have been erroneously excluded after reviewing their complaints.
573,680 Applicants Compete for 3,852 Positions
The recruitment exercise attracted significant interest, with 573,680 applicants reportedly competing for 3,852 positions across three cadres: Superintendent, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant.
The exercise has generated controversy following complaints from applicants who alleged irregularities in the selection process.
Some candidates reportedly claimed that their names appeared on the published list of successful applicants but they were subsequently excluded from the next stage of the exercise.
Others raised concerns about the transparency of the screening and invitation process.
Why Customs Removed Some Applicants
The Customs Service has cited issues relating to eligibility and screening as reasons for disqualifying some candidates.
These include age discrepancies, medical assessments, physical fitness, substance-use screening and problems with applicants’ documentation.
The service has also alleged that some candidates attempted to circumvent the recruitment process through unofficial channels.
However, the allegation does not establish that every applicant challenging their exclusion engaged in such conduct.
NCS Promises Review, Reinstatement
Maiwada said the service remained willing to correct errors identified during the recruitment process.
According to him, applicants who were wrongly removed would be reinstated following the necessary review.
The assurance offers hope to candidates who believe their exclusion resulted from administrative errors or other mistakes.
However, applicants should not assume that lodging a complaint automatically guarantees reinstatement, as each case remains subject to verification and the applicable recruitment requirements.
Recruitment Controversy Persists
The recruitment exercise has also faced scrutiny over allegations of irregularities and concerns about the treatment of candidates who appeared on the published list.
The controversy has increased calls for transparency and clear explanations of the criteria used to disqualify applicants.
The NCS’s latest position suggests that while the service intends to defend its screening process against allegations of misconduct, it is also prepared to address genuine cases of wrongful exclusion.
For affected applicants, the key question remains whether the review process will resolve their complaints and ensure that eligible candidates are treated fairly.
Source: BBC Hausa interview with Abdullahi Maiwada, NCS national spokesperson, published October 23, 2026.
