Customs reopens recruitment complaints, orders fresh screening for aggrieved applicants

By Adebola Muili

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has opened a fresh window for applicants disqualified during its recent recruitment exercise to challenge their exclusion, directing affected candidates to submit complaints for a case-by-case review.

The Service said the decision followed a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and some aggrieved applicants whose names appeared on the recruitment shortlist but were subsequently screened out before proceeding to the training college.

It, however, clarified that being shortlisted did not automatically qualify any candidate for enlistment, stressing that all applicants must satisfy the mandatory recruitment requirements.

The NCS disclosed that screening exercises identified issues involving 397 applicants, including concerns relating to substance abuse, physical fitness, medical records, age verification and submitted documents. It also said some candidates were disqualified over irregularities identified in their selection process.

The Service explained that the recruitment process involved several stages of verification, including credential checks, physical and endurance assessments, medical examinations, age verification and drug screening.

According to a statement issued by the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Monday, October 19, 2026, the Comptroller-General had directed that genuine complaints be reconsidered individually to ensure that legitimate concerns were properly examined.

Maiwada urged applicants who felt unfairly treated during the screening exercise to forward their details and complaints to helpdesk@customs.gov.ng, advising them to provide accurate information to facilitate the review of their cases.

He said the new arrangement was designed to give affected candidates an opportunity to seek redress while protecting the credibility and fairness of the recruitment process.

The statement added that applicants who wished to benefit from the review would undergo fresh screening, while those found to have engaged in criminal activities, including certificate fraud, would be referred for appropriate legal action and prosecution.

It stressed that the review did not amount to a relaxation of recruitment standards or guarantee admission into the training college.

The Service urged affected applicants and members of the public to remain calm and channel their grievances through the designated helpdesk, assuring them that all complaints would be considered in line with established procedures.

The NCS reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and accountable recruitment process, maintaining that it would not compromise the standards required of personnel responsible for national security, border protection, revenue collection and public safety.