The recruitment process for positions within the Niger State Civil Service Commission (CSC) has been heavily criticized due to allegations of corruption, favoritism, and irregularities.
Sources who spoke with SaharaReporters revealed that high-ranking officials, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Commissioners, and members of the State House of Assembly, were allocated special recruitment slots to favor their preferred candidates, often bypassing merit-based selection.
One source disclosed that some applicants who had successfully completed online interviews and were shortlisted for physical interviews were unexpectedly turned away on the day of the interview.
“Some applicants who had been shortlisted were told to leave after waiting for over six hours, without even being interviewed,” the source explained.
Applicants were reportedly informed that their qualifications did not meet the requirements, despite being shortlisted for the final stage. “They told us that they were specifically looking for candidates with a different qualification, even though we had been called for the interview,” one frustrated applicant said.
Insiders within the CSC noted that the commission chairman had limited authority over the recruitment process. “The real power lies with those above, like the SSG, Commissioners, and members of the State House of Assembly, who have been given special slots to place their own candidates in the system,” they explained.
Reports also indicate that the official list of successful candidates posted on the CSC website was not used for documentation. Instead, a different list was reportedly implemented, leaving many shortlisted candidates excluded from the final process.
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Applicants in various sectors, especially education and health, were left confused and disappointed. “I applied under education and was shortlisted, but when I went for documentation, my name wasn’t there,” an applicant told SaharaReporters.
“Many people who were called for documentation didn’t even attend the interviews,” another applicant added, describing the process as “a clear case of injustice and corruption.”
Sources also revealed that some unqualified candidates managed to secure positions through the influence of Abubakar Usman’s office, the Secretary to the State Government, by paying bribes of up to N500,000.
According to another source, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, who chairs the recruitment committee, has directed that no committee members speak to the media regarding the process. “Many journalists in the state have attempted to obtain information about what is going on with the recruitment, but their efforts have been fruitless,” the source said.
Efforts by SaharaReporters to get a reaction from Binta Mamman, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, were unsuccessful. Calls and text messages seeking her comments went unanswered.
This recruitment scandal has raised calls for the state government to intervene and set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations and irregularities that have tarnished the process.
“It’s no longer about who deserves it; it’s about who you know and how much you can give,” an applicant lamented, reflecting the widespread frustration among candidates.
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