Chaos as Immigration Recruitment Exam Flops

Chaos reigned supreme at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, on Saturday as the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) employment examination which took place in all states of the federation flopped especially in Lagos.

This is just as the men of the state police and the Nigerian Security and  Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), allegedly shot at the candidates in order to disperse them from mobbing their vehicles.

One of the candidates, Uche Ikechukwu,  said the preparation level by the NIS was nil as they were not able to control the mammoth crowd that surged the stadium for the exam.

He said, "We got there about 7am and we waited until about 4pm. We were about 10,000 . In fact, the stadium was filled to capacity but the examiners were nowhere to be found.

"At about Ipm, they brought the question papers but they did not screen us at all. When they tried to share the question papers, things went downwards from there.

"The candidates started fighting for the papers and ended up tearing most of the question papers. Some people got the papers and answered the questions while the majority were not lucky enough.

"However, when it was time to submit it, some people took the papers of those that had submitted and erased the names of the original owners and put in their own names. "

He added, "One of the mistakes they have made was that they merged the OND, HND, O'level and the BSC together on the same day. It caused an over surge in population. The immigration personnel were not up to 50 yet they tried to control over 10,000 people.

"In fact, as they were leaving, a bulk of the submitted question papers fell off their vehicle when they were fleeing

but they did not stop. I don't know if the so called exam would be admissible with the way it went down."

Meanwhile, the candidates who were vexed with the lack of preparation by the NIS took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration, to register their grouse.

This action was said to have promoted the security agencies on ground to release fire at the candidates, who scampered to safety.

When contacted, the state Deputy Police Spokesperson, DSP Damasus Ozoani, denied the culpability of the police in the shooting.

He said the police was not in anyway involved in or deployed to the examination centre because the immigration took care of the security themselves.

Also when contacted, the state Spokesperson of the NIS, Mr. Muyiwa Odunubi, said he was not empowered to talk about the matter, adding that the headquarters in Abuja would be better positioned to answer the question.

He however denied that the immigration personnel shot at the crowd, adding that the story was taken out of proportion.