Reps order suspension of NRS recruitment

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character has ordered the immediate suspension of all recruitment exercises being conducted by the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
The directive follows the agency’s failure to comply with legislative oversight and the repeated refusal of its Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, to appear before lawmakers.

Chaired by Ahmed Idris Wase, the committee warned that it is prepared to invoke its constitutional powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution to sanction the NRS boss.

These constitutional provisions empower the National Assembly to investigate government institutions, summon public officials, compel the production of documents, and issue arrest warrants where necessary.

The committee also expressed dismay over Adedeji’s continued absence, noting that a formal letter dated July 15, 2026, requested his presence alongside an up-to-date nominal roll of the agency for a meeting on July 22. Adedeji failed to attend, adding to a series of at least seven previous invitations sent to the NRS since October 2023 that were acknowledged by the agency but ignored.

The dispute stems from ongoing recruitment drives and recruitment waivers allegedly granted to the NRS by the Federal Character Commission (FCC), defying an earlier resolution by the House that prohibited such waivers.

The Chairman of the FCC, Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, was also absent from the meeting, citing official travel and ill health.

However, the committee rejected her excuse, describing her repeated non-appearance as unacceptable and condemning the FCC’s issuance of recruitment waivers to the NRS as a direct challenge to the constitutional authority of the legislature.

Wase emphasized that no public officer or agency operates above the Constitution or outside the purview of parliamentary oversight, warning that ignoring legislative summons erodes democratic checks and balances.

“The National Assembly is the voice of the Nigerian people. Its constitutional oversight powers are not symbolic they are binding instruments of accountability,” Wase stated.

The committee also directed the FCC to enforce an immediate freeze on all ongoing NRS recruitment activities until the leadership of both organizations appears before the House to account for their actions and submit to the oversight process.

The controversy comes amidst allegations of procedural violations within the agency’s executive appointments.

A January 2026 investigative report alleged that the appointment of five of the six Executive Directors at the NRS violated Section 17(1) of the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, which mandates geopolitical representation and prohibits the Executive Chairman and any Executive Director from hailing from the same state.

That matter is currently subject to litigation before an Abuja High Court.