The Nigeria Customs Service has said shortlisted candidates whose names appeared on its published list are not automatically guaranteed employment.
The Service said final screening is still ongoing before successful applicants are admitted for training.
The clarification came after complaints by some candidates who said they completed the computer-based test, physical examination and initial screening, accepted their appointments on the official portal and saw their names published, but were yet to receive training invitations.
The affected candidates, said to be over 500, complained after issuance of training invitations reportedly stopped on Monday ahead of training scheduled to begin on Friday, October 10. Some claimed they had resigned from previous jobs after believing their appointments were secured.
Reacting, Customs spokesman and Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, told PUNCH on Wednesday that publication of a name does not amount to final appointment.
He said candidates must pass physical screening and meet all other requirements before they can be admitted into the training college and eventually commissioned.
“I will start my response first with a question. Did anyone who complained to you inform you that they have been issued an appointment letter? So that means the process is still ongoing. Secondly, the essence of screening is to have a physical examination of successful candidates,” Maiwada said.
He explained that the essence of screening is for candidates to be screened in or screened out, adding that those who fail to meet criteria such as age, academic credentials, medical fitness and drug test will be disqualified.
He also stressed that even those admitted into the training college will still have to complete academic, physical and character assessments before they are commissioned as Customs officers.
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