•Agency says North not favoured in recruitment THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said over 200,000 candidates applied for the 750 vacancies in the agency. The EFCC, which made the clarifications in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the Federal Character Principle was followed in carrying out the exercise. The statement said: “It is also pertinent to state that over 200,000 applications were received; as against the advertised vacancies. The 750 Cadets are meticulously being screened. “The exercise, which is still on-going for the Detective Inspectors (DI) and Detective Superintendents (DS) Cadres (the Detective Assistants, DI, Cadre has been concluded), is conducted transparently and every state is given equal representation. “We also reiterate that there was no inappropriate conduct by any official during the exercise as being alleged. The physical fitness and medical tests were conducted by officers from the Nigerian Air Force Hospital, who are well trained and adhere to the relevant code of medical practice. “The media must therefore be wary not to become instruments of blackmail by applicants who failed the fitness test.” The commission said the ongoing recruitment was in line with the Federal Character Principle. The statement added: “The EFCC hereby reiterates that the on-going recruitment exercise into the commission is line with due process and in conformity with the Federal Character Principle. “This clarification became necessary in view of the several calls and complaints from candidates, who went to the Nigerian Air Force Base, Mando, Kaduna, venue of the recruitment exercise conducted by the EFCC, alleging that they were disqualified because they had no god-father and that the exercise was tilted in favour of Northern candidates. “This is far from the truth as criteria were set abinitio as qualification for enlistment into the EFCC.”]]>