The Sokoto State Government has raised alarm over what it described as a clear violation of federal recruitment guidelines after discovering that three non-indigenes were listed under Sokoto State in the recently released Nigerian Army Short Service Combatant Commission (SSC) Course 49/2026 shortlist.
In an official statement signed by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government and released on 26th November 2025, the government stated that a thorough review of the shortlist revealed that the names published under Sokoto did not belong to genuine indigenes of the state.
The candidates flagged include Alaka Abraham, Sa’idu Bulus, and Onoja John, all of whom appeared on the national list with application numbers tied to Sokoto State.
According to the statement, the Nigerian Army has repeatedly emphasized that applicants must apply strictly under their State of Origin, not their State of Residence — a rule designed to promote fairness, transparency, and strict compliance with the Federal Character Principles.
To protect recruitment opportunities legitimately meant for qualified Sokoto youths, the Special Adviser on Careers and Counselling, Alhaji Garba Bello Kebbe, disclosed that the State Government had promptly contacted relevant authorities to stop the affected individuals from taking up slots reserved for Sokoto.
He added that the government would continue to monitor federal recruitment exercises to ensure that Sokoto’s quota was not compromised by fraudulent claims or misrepresentation of origins.
The government urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious cases of impersonation or misuse of the state’s identity in national recruitment processes.
