KEY POINTS
• NCS begins final screening for 3,852 successful recruitment candidates.
• Screening covers documentation, physical fitness, medical checks and conduct assessment.
• Evaluation for Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres will continue until Sept. 19.
MAIN STORY
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has begun the final screening of 3,852 candidates selected for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise.
The two week exercise started on Monday at the Customs Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Gwagwalada, Abuja, and is scheduled to end on Sept. 19.
NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada said the exercise covers candidates for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.
The screening involves documentation, physical fitness and medical assessments, with candidates also being evaluated on their character and professional conduct.
Candidates are being processed in batches based on the alphabetical order of their states of origin, a system the service said was designed to limit congestion and keep the exercise orderly.
Frank Onyeka, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, urged the candidates to comply with the screening requirements, stressing that physical fitness alone would not determine who joins the service.
He said the NCS was working with the Customs Police and other relevant units to protect the integrity of the recruitment process.
Assistant Comptroller General of Customs Dow Gaura, who is also Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, attributed the smooth conduct of the exercise to administrative improvements and collaboration among agencies and units.
The screening for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs cadre ended on Thursday, while candidates for the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres will continue to undergo evaluation until Sept. 19.
The recruitment process followed the release by the NCS on Aug. 4 of its final list of successful candidates.
A total of 573,680 applications were received for the 3,852 available positions. The successful candidates comprise 1,275 for the Superintendent Cadre, 367 for the Inspectorate Cadre and 2,210 for the Customs Assistant Cadre.
THE ISSUES
The large number of applications compared with the available positions means the final screening is a major selection stage in the recruitment process.
The NCS is also assessing candidates beyond physical requirements, with discipline, character and professional conduct forming part of the evaluation.
The batch system based on states of origin is intended to manage the number of candidates attending the exercise and prevent congestion at the screening centre.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Beyond physical requirements, your attitude, discipline, and conduct are critical factors in deciding who ultimately joins the service.” – Frank Onyeka
“The process has been seamless, hitch free and conducted without any casualties.” – Dow Gaura
WHAT’S NEXT
Screening for candidates in the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres will continue at TRADOC, Gwagwalada, until Sept. 19.
The NCS will continue the exercise in batches according to the announced arrangement for candidates.
BOTTOM LINE
The Nigeria Customs Service has moved into the final screening stage for 3,852 recruits selected from 573,680 applications. Candidates are being assessed on documentation, fitness, medical requirements and professional conduct before the recruitment process is completed.
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