Nigerian Imigration Service holds recruitment exams after stampede in Abuja

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment examination took place on Saturday in Abuja in spite of the deaths of seven applicants at the centre.
The examination, which started at 4 p.m., some candidates said was characterised by a lot of irregularities.
One of the applicants, Mrs Gloria Okon, said that the Nnamdi Azikwe National Stadium, Abuja, was jam-packed with the applicants.
She said that many applicants who could not find their way into the venue wrote the examination outside the stadium.
Okon said she came before 7.a.m but could not enter inside the stadium because of the surging crowd.
She said when she and her colleagues entered the stadium for examination after the stampede.
She said the examination was conducted in batches, B.Sc, HND, OND, NCE and SSCE, adding that candidates struggled for question papers in all the batches.
Another applicant, Mr Monday Iju, who sustained injuries on his ankle during the stampede, said he managed to write the examination in spite the injury because he needed the job at all cost.
Iju prayed to be among the candidates that would eventually secure employment through such exercise.
Mr Charles Ameh, another candidate, said he had to struggle with another candidate who had about five question papers with him before he could get his own.
Mr Yahaya Ismael, another candidate, said he could not withstand the stress, adding that he and his friends had to go back home because they lost confidence in the examination.
``I did not write the examination because of the way it was conducted; they asked us to come early but refused to open the gate.
``I left the venue of the exercise at 2 p.m. when I discovered that there was no proper coordination
``The crowd was too much I am sure they were just suffering people to justify the money they collected from people.
NAN reports that some victims of the stampede with minor injuries have received medical attention as outpatients in some hospitals in the FCT and discharged.
At the General Hospital, Asokoro, Dr Austin Ejembi, the doctor on duty at the casualty unit, said that the hospital treated 18 people.
He, however, said that there was no loss of life, adding none of the victims was admitted.