The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has instituted criminal proceedings against the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, over violations of federal character provisions in the agency’s 2025/2026 recruitment exercise.

The charges, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, accuse the Customs Service of disregarding statutory requirements for fair representation of states and geopolitical zones in recruitment into federal institutions.

The Commission said the legal action followed repeated efforts to obtain relevant recruitment records and monitor the exercise to establish whether the agency complied with the federal character principle.

The FCC accused the Customs Service of refusing to release requested employment records, including its nominal rolls, despite a formal request issued on March 25, 2026.

It also accused the agency of failing to submit relevant stages of the recruitment process for scrutiny, thereby hindering its ability to assess the distribution of available positions across the country.

Furthermore, the Commission said the Customs Service disregarded a directive issued on October 23, 2026, ordering the suspension of certain recruitment and training activities pending a review of the exercise.

The charges also questioned the absence of clearly defined recruitment procedures and eligibility requirements, which the Commission said made it difficult to determine whether the selection process complied with federal character regulations.

The FCC maintained that it has a statutory mandate to monitor recruitment into federal establishments, examine employment records and ensure equitable distribution of opportunities among Nigeria’s states and geopolitical zones.

The federal character principle is enshrined in the Constitution to promote national unity, ensure equitable representation and prevent the concentration of public appointments and employment opportunities in a few states or sections of the country.

The criminal proceedings will require the Nigeria Customs Service and its Comptroller-General to respond to the charges before the court.