The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Federal Government of deliberately sidelining the South-East in the ongoing Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recruitment exercise, describing the process as secretive, unfair, and unconstitutional.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the group’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said HURIWA had received several complaints from applicants across the region, alleging discrimination in the shortlisting process.
Onwubiko challenged the Customs Service to publish the full list of candidates who sat for the Computer-Based Test (CBT), including their scores and states of origin, to ensure transparency.
“If the list currently circulating online is fake, where then is the authentic version?” he asked. “Nigerians, especially those who applied, deserve to see their results and know how they were evaluated. Anything short of transparency in this exercise is unacceptable.”
The controversy erupted after a viral post on social media allegedly showed a state-by-state breakdown of shortlisted candidates for the Customs Superintendents Cadre recruitment. The post, attributed to the verified Facebook account of Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita, claimed that 1,785 candidates were shortlisted nationwide for the final stage of the CBT.
According to the figures, Lagos State had 207 candidates, Kano had 31, while South-East states such as Imo (13), Ebonyi (20), and Abia (28) had significantly fewer.
However, the Nigeria Customs Service has yet to confirm or deny the authenticity of the list, fueling growing concern about fairness, regional balance, and compliance with the Federal Character principle.
HURIWA warned that any attempt by the NCS to conceal recruitment data would constitute a violation of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates equitable representation in federal appointments and employment.
The group also accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of running what it described as an anti–South-East government, alleging a deliberate pattern of exclusion in key appointments within the security and administrative sectors.
HURIWA cited the recent extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of Customs as a case in point, claiming it blocked an Igbo officer who was next in line for promotion.
Onwubiko further criticised prominent Igbo politicians in the ruling party for what he called political self-sabotage, accusing them of failing to use their influence to defend or advance the interests of their region.
“The South-East has been left behind in infrastructure, employment, and representation. This marginalisation is deliberate and must end,” he said.
The rights group called on the Federal Government to immediately release a geo-political breakdown of all ongoing federal recruitments and appointments, insisting that transparency and inclusion remain vital to Nigeria’s unity and stability.
“Equity and fairness are not privileges; they are constitutional rights. The government must prove it serves all regions equally,” HURIWA stated.
