Nigerian Immigration Service Exam: the Photos, the Reports, the Crowd, the Stampedes and the Deaths!

The Nigerian Immigration Service aptitude test was conducted today in various centres around the country . This is a test conducted for about 5,000 vacant positions, however, the number of Nigerian Youths that went to the various test locations was overwhelming! Estimated to be about 2 million.

2,000,000 people for 5000 jobs!

  It's reported that at least 7 job seekers (2 men and 5 women)  died today while many more sustained varying degrees of injury during a stampede at the National Stadium, Abuja — the Federal Capital territory (FCT) venue of the ongoing recruitment test by the Nigeria Immigrations Service (NIS). The Abuja stadium which is supposed to sit not more than 60,000 people had well over 80,000 youths and only one entrance to the stadium was opened for the applicants.

The dead applicants have since been deposited at the National Hospital Abuja morgue. May their souls rest in peace...Amen.



In Imo State,  No fewer than 10 applicants, including three expectant mothers, fainted while waiting for the commencement of the test. Some of the applicants expressed disappointment over the manner the exercise was organised.

In Kebbi, 5,000 applicants assembled at Halliru Abdu Stadium, where officials had tough time controlling the applicants.

A stampede marred the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment in Rivers. Some 25, 000 applicants were scheduled to participate in the NIS job recruitment interview holding at the 16, 000 capacity Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt.

It was learnt that several NIS job applicants were seriously wounded, while some lost their certificates in the melee.

"During the stampede, some candidates fell and were trampled upon by others, while some became unconscious due to the incident. The victims have been taken to the Military Hospital for rehabilitation and treatment. At the moment, we have not received any information on their present condition,”  an eye witness recalls.

No fewer than 15,000 people participated in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise in Kano. The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Zitas Nanpon, made this known in an interview in Kano on Saturday. The screening and examination took place at the Sani Abacha Stadium, located in Kofar Mata in Kano metropolis.

In Benue no fewer than 17, 800 applicants took part in the exercise at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi.
The Public Relations Officer of the service in Benue, Mr Tersoo Ukeyima, in Makurdi, said that the NIS was overwhelmed by the number of applicants and did its best to accommodate them.

The NIS scheduled its Lagos centre aptitude test for March 15 at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents report that thousands of applicants were seen at the venue of the recruitment at the stadium as early as 7 a.m.
An eye witness say the number of people at the stadium far outnumbered the 45,000 capacity of the stadium.
“I can tell you that more than 100,000 people came for this test”, he said. “I have never seen this kind of crowd before in my life. Even if this was a FIFA World Cup football match, you will never get spectators this many” he pointed out.


NAN recalls that in 2008, no fewer than 20 people died in various states of the federation during a similar exercise conducted by the Ministry of Interior for Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and Customs Service. (NAN)

Meanwhile, businesses were booming for owners of business centres and restaurants who were being patronized by the applicants.

Find below some pictures from the various locations.