The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of secretly recruiting over 400 new staff to replace 1,000 employees who were reportedly pressured to resign.
In a statement issued in Kaduna, the Speaker of the group, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, condemned the alleged recruitment process, describing it as lacking transparency and violating due process. He claimed the exercise was conducted without proper advertisement, which excluded many qualified Nigerians from applying.
Danlami expressed concern over the actions of the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, alleging that the process contradicted the apex bank’s recent downsizing.
โWe have intercepted credible reports alleging that the Central Bank of Nigeria under the leadership of Olayemi Cardoso has secretly recruited over 400 staff to replace the over 1,000 who were said to have voluntarily resigned,โ Danlami stated. โHow can a bank that recently shed its weight of excess staff surreptitiously employ 400 others to do what job?โ
The youth leader further raised concerns about regional representation, suggesting that the recruitment process might have excluded candidates from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory. He described this as a violation of the federal character principle enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
Danlami urged the CBN to clarify the situation and ensure that future recruitment exercises are conducted transparently and inclusively.
At the time of filing this report, the CBN has not issued any official response to the allegations.
This development comes amidst heightened scrutiny of the CBNโs policies under its new leadership, as stakeholders demand accountability and adherence to due process.
