Civil servants are typically protected by

1. Analyze the question The question asks which body or mechanism typically protects civil servants. Think about their job security, discipline, promotion and welfare.

2. Explain the concept Civil servants are permanent, non-partisan government workers who carry out government policies. They are meant to be protected from political victimisation and arbitrary dismissal. In Nigeria, this protection comes through:

• The Civil Service Commission (Federal Civil Service Commission, FCSC, and State Civil Service Commissions), established under the Constitution. It handles appointment, promotion, discipline and dismissal of civil servants, so that these decisions follow due process rather than the whims of politicians.
• Trade unions (e.g., ASCSN, NLC) also protect workers' welfare, but they represent workers' interests in collective bargaining. They are not the institution that protects the civil servant's tenure and career within the service itself.

3. Step-by-step solution

• A. Military and security agencies: They protect the nation and its citizens, not civil servants' employment. Eliminated.
• B. Civil Service Commission: It is the constitutional body that safeguards civil servants' appointment, promotion and discipline, which protects them from arbitrary treatment. This fits best.
• C. Trade union and labour laws: This is a plausible distractor, since unions do defend workers. However, they protect workers in general, and the question about civil servants specifically points to the Civil Service Commission, which is the one set up to protect the civil service as an institution.
• D. Human rights organizations: They are NGOs with no direct role in civil service employment. Eliminated.

4. Answer The correct option is **B.

5. Exam tip When a JAMB Government question asks about civil servants, think about the Civil Service Commission for appointments, promotion, discipline and protection of tenure. Remember: "Commission = Control and Cover", because it controls the service's personnel matters and covers civil servants against victimisation. Also note that option C is the tempting trap, so read the word "typically" and the specific focus on civil servants carefully.