Southwest States Benefit After Kano Assembly Rejects Nigeria Customs Recruitment Shortlist

Lawan Hussaini Dala, the majority leader of the Kano State House of Assembly, expressed concern over what he called “gross injustice and imbalance” in the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) current hiring process.

Speaking in plenary on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Dala claimed that the recruitment process was “designed to favor the South against the North” and that it went against the Federal Character principle.

The member asked that equity and diversity be reflected in federal appointments and job opportunities. He charged that the Customs Service was ignoring the Federal Character Commission’s (FCC) constitutional responsibility.

“I’m on this floor to question how the Nigeria Customs Service is conducting its hiring process. It seems unfair to us. According to Dala, the Federal Character that was tasked with making sure that rights were distributed fairly was not taken into account.

More over half of all slots go to the South-West.
According to Dala’s breakdown of the numbers, states in the South-West accounted for more than half of the 1,785 candidates recruited nationwide.

He said that Lagos alone had 207 berths, Ogun 145, Ondo 132, Osun 127, and Oyo 108, while Ekiti, “not more than Nasarawa Local Government in Kano,” had 93 slots.

The congressman bemoaned the fact that the South-West received 812 places overall, more than half of all recruits nationwide.

The North-West “Shortchanged”
The allocations made to the North-West states, which Dala called “unacceptable and unjustifiable,” were sharply compared.

Kano received just 31 in the North-West, followed by Katsina (20), Jigawa (18), and Zamfara (16). Only roughly 7% of the total number recruited came from the entire region, he claimed.

The Majority Leader cautioned that the stark difference amounted to intentional marginalization.

“Honorable Speaker, this is unfair, and our people will continue to be deceived if we remain silent on matters like these. There were just 651 places left for the entire northern area. In a few years, the Nigeria Customs Service would be affiliated with a specific ethnic group or geographic area if this keeps up, he warned.

Dala cautioned that if the disparity in government employment possibilities is not addressed, it could exacerbate regional mistrust, fuel dissatisfaction, and jeopardize national unity.

“This injustice can cause problems in the future,” he continued. We are urging the Federal Character Commission and other pertinent organizations to make sure that the principles of justice, equity, and fairness found in our constitution are properly followed during the hiring process for federal institutions.

The Kano Assembly was asked by the Majority Leader to take the issue to the National Assembly, the Federal Character Commission, and the Nigeria Customs Service in order to request a review of the procedure.

According to him, federal hiring practices should represent a fair distribution of opportunities in keeping with the inclusive and unified spirit.

Dala received support from other House members who spoke on the issue, who insisted that swift corrective action be made. They encouraged the National Assembly’s northern members to address the matter in Abuja as well.

The Majority Leader was complimented by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly for bringing the issue before the House, calling it “a patriotic move in defense of fairness and justice.”

He then gave the appropriate House Committee instructions to look into the recruitment numbers and provide a thorough report for future legislative action.