By Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
Bashir Ahmed, a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has added his voice to the growing criticism of the Nigeria Customs Service’s recent recruitment drive, calling the allocation of slots “glaringly imbalanced” and urging authorities to ensure fairness.
The controversy emerged after the Kano State House of Assembly rejected the exercise. Mr Ahmed, in a social media post, presented data that he argued revealed a stark disparity between geographic regions.
According to the figures he cited, Lagos State received 207 recruitment slots, which is more than all the states in the northwest region combined. Other southwestern states also received significant numbers: Ogun got 145, Ondo 132, Osun 127, Oyo 108, and Ekiti 93.
In stark contrast, the northwest region, the country’s most populous zone, was allocated a meagre share. Kano, Nigeria’s most populous state, was given only 31 slots. Neighbouring Katsina received 20, Jigawa 18, and Zamfara 16. Cumulatively, the entire northwest region accounted for barely 7% of the total recruits.
“We sincerely urge the authorities to kindly look into this matter promptly,” Mr Ahmed wrote, “so that everyone can have fair and equitable representation in the exercise.”
His intervention amplifies the formal protest from the Kano State Assembly and reflects wider concerns about regional balance in federal appointments. Critics argue that such lopsided recruitment can foster a sense of marginalisation and undermine national cohesion.
The Nigeria Customs Service has not yet issued an official response to the specific data or the mounting calls for a review.
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