Writing By Khadijah Aliyu ; Editing By Godwin Duru
Kano State House of Assembly has expressed concern over what it described as gross injustice and imbalance in the ongoing recruitment exercise by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), alleging that the process heavily favoured the southern part of the country to the detriment of the North.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, during today’s plenary.
Presenting the motion, Dala said the recruitment exercise violated the principles of Federal Character, which are designed to ensure fairness and equal representation in federal appointments and employments.
According to the lawmaker, a total of 1,785 candidates were recruited nationwide, but the allocation of slots heavily favoured the South-West, particularly Lagos and Ogun States, which received a disproportionately higher number.
Dala noted that Lagos alone got 207, Ogun 145, Ondo 132, Osun 127, Oyo 108, and Ekiti 93, saying that the South-West got 812 slots more than half of the entire national recruitment.
In contrast, Dala said the North-West region received only about 7 percent of the total recruitment, describing the disparity as unacceptable and unjustifiable.
He explained that, in the North-West, Kano got only 31, Katsina 20, Jigawa 18, and Zamfara 16.
Across the northern region, only 651 slots were allotted, while the bulk went to the South.
The Majority Leader called on the House to officially communicate its concern to relevant federal authorities, including the National Assembly, the Federal Character Commission (FCC), and the Nigeria Customs Service, demanding a review of the process to reflect fairness and inclusivity.
He warned that continued regional imbalances in federal employment could deepen mistrust and threaten national unity.
Other members who contributed to the debate backed Dala’s motion, urging northern lawmakers at the National Assembly to take up the issue and push for corrective measures.
They stressed that equal opportunities in federal recruitment were vital to sustaining Nigeria’s unity and sense of belonging across all regions.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Alhaji Jibril Ismail Falgore, commended Dala for raising the issue, describing it as a patriotic move in defence of fairness and justice.
He subsequently directed the relevant House Committee to investigate the recruitment figures and report back for further legislative action.
Cov/Khadijah Aliyu
