By Jabiru Hassan
The Kano State House of Assembly has called for the immediate cancellation of the recently released cadet recruitment list by the Nigeria Customs Service Commission, describing the exercise as unfair and contrary to the Federal Character principle.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary of the House, Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai.
Led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore, the Assembly expressed concern that the recruitment process promoted nepotism and regional imbalance, alleging that it disproportionately favored candidates from the southern part of the country, particularly the South-West region.
Presenting the motion during plenary, Majority Leader Hon. Lawal Hussain Dala said the recruitment lacked fairness and transparency, describing it as “disheartening and dangerous” to national unity.
According to the released list, out of 1,785 newly recruited cadet officers, over 1,000 were reportedly drawn from the South, while less than 540 came from the North — a disparity lawmakers said violates the Federal Character Commission’s mandate of equitable representation across all regions.
The House maintained that such imbalance undermines public confidence in federal institutions and fosters division among Nigerians.
Presiding over the session, Speaker Falgore urged Northern lawmakers in the National Assembly to intervene and ensure that the recruitment exercise is reviewed or completely nullified.
He further appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Nigeria Customs Service Commission to cancel the recruitment list and ensure a fresh, transparent process that reflects fairness, inclusivity, and adherence to constitutional provisions.
The Assembly unanimously adopted the motion, emphasizing that equity and regional balance remain crucial for maintaining national cohesion and trust in public institutions.
