…allege substitution with ghost applicants
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
The storm seems to be gathering as a group of Nigerian youths has made a bonding under the premise that they applied for the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NCDC) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) jobs, but were substituted with names of people who never participated in the exercise, who were eventually employed into the security agencies.
Reports gathered by our reporter indicated that many Nigerians who reportedly applied for the jobs, took part in the examinations, physical screening, psychometric evaluation and certificate verification were never considered when the eventual intakes came out.
The youths claimed that across the states, names of persons who were not shortlisted, let alone taking part in the trial sessions were displayed by the government establishments.
One of the groups created by some of the applicant, NIS/NSCDC OYO STATE CHAPTER, claimed that some of them raveled to different states other than Oyo to take part in the exercise, only to be failed by the establishments. Another applicant, simply identified as Ayobami, on a platform, NIS/NSCDC SCREENED APPLICANTS, also lamented their plights, calling for the intervention of the Federal Government.
One of the applicants, Ayodele Israel, in a complaint presented to our reporter, in a write-up he titled; #Pleaselettherightthingbedone #letthepoorbreathe, noted that: “It has sadly become a recurring scenario in Nigeria that when federal job opportunities arise, the usual process of hiring based on merit and following proper application procedures is often thwarted. Instead, those with connections facilitated by politicians manipulate the process by replacing deserving candidates’ names with unrelated individuals and selling these positions as slots.
“Many of us have gone to great lengths, even travelling across states for examinations, only to have our rightful positions taken away, due to a lack of connections.
“We had hoped that the recent NSCDC and NIS recruitment processes would deviate from this pattern. After navigating the online application and successfully progressing through exams and physical screening, we were on the cusp of receiving posting letters.
“However, our hopes were crushed when our access to the application portal was abruptly revoked. Politicians had, once again, tampered with the posting list, bestowing positions upon individuals who hadn’t undergone the legitimate process.
“This situation has wreaked havoc on many lives. People left stable jobs, incurred debts and sold possessions to finance travel and documentation expenses. The hope was to regain what was sacrificed once employed; but these dreams are now shattered.
“We had hoped for a functional system and competent leadership, but our voices of concern are met with silence. Our disappointment grows as the lack of action from our leaders continues. This situation demands attention and action to rectify the injustice and rebuild the trust that’s been eroded.
“We, the vibrant youth of this nation, yearn to contribute positively. However, the prevailing system thwarts our aspirations. Despite our determination, we’re unfairly labelled as idle by the very leaders who should be enabling our potentials.
“Our plea is simple: NSCDC Board, we beseech you to investigate this injustice and rectify the course. Let fairness prevail; and let the dreams of diligent candidates be restored.”
Israel, in another position called for the Federal Government to look into the process of recruitment into the two organisations.
“This is a call to action for the Federal Government of Nigeria and all agencies involved to look into the anomalies going on in the recruitment process of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
“We call on the leaders in our country to take immediate action and investigate the allegations of politicians hijacking job recruitment lists. It is unacceptable that qualified and deserving candidates are being denied employment opportunities, while those who bypass the normal procedure are rewarded.
“This kind of corruption only serves to discourage young people from pursuing their dreams and contributes to youth unemployment. It is time for our leaders to put an end to this practice and prioritise merit-based recruitment processes that give equal opportunities to all Nigerians.
“It is so disappointing to see that the names of successful candidates are being replaced with names of people who never took part in the recruitment process. We strongly condemn these inappropriate actions.
“We also urge the media to shine a spotlight on this issue and hold our leaders accountable. The future of our country depends on having a transparent and fair recruitment process; and we must all work together to achieve this,” he said.
Another applicant, Ibrahim Mohammed, shared his harrowing experience over “the 2023 immigration recruitment process.”
He told Saturday Times that he applied for the Nigeria Immigration job and was successfully shortlisted for the examination on the 18th of May, 2023. “I went; and after the examination was over, they did another shortlisting for physical screening on 11th June, 2023, only for them to do the final shortlisting on 10th July, but failed to release the names till 10th August, 2023.
“But none of those who went for the physical screening and examination was picked. All of us were shortchanged by the board. We all have a WhatsApp group where we converse and none in that group has the job all over the states of the country.
“Please, we, the youth of this nation, need your help and intervention, because our rights have been stolen.”
Popoola Kemi, who claimed to be from Ekiti State, said she applied for the NSCDC job too. She said she went for Computer-Based Test (CBT) examination and physical screening in Abeokuta, Ogun State, but lamented that “the politicians replaced my name with their candidate’s. Please, help us. We hope on God and the media.”
Went to gate Ibadan from Lagos for the exam and same for the screening and at the end We Adebayo Ibrahim Iyanda has a similar story to tell about his application for the immigration job. He said “we were all shortchanged by some senior people in the final lists. Please, help us out.”
Also, Oriyomi, who claimed to be the secretary of a group named Nigeria Youths Association (NYA), said he was one of the applicants NSCDC 2022/2023 recruitment.
“Concerning the issue of the recruitment under the Ministry of Interior, I will say government doesn’t have any plan for us, the youths of this nation, because there’s no sign of better future for us.
“Instead, they’re trying to encourage us go into illegal acts, because with all the stress we passed through; and at the end, as a result of not knowing anybody at the top, we were not given the opportunity to get the job we suffered for, after we were asked to travel from various places of our residence.
“I am based in Aja, Etiosa Local Government, Lagos State and had to travel to Ibadan, Oyo State, to write the examination. And after the examination, I was also asked to risk my life to Abeokuta, Ogun State, for the physical screening without minding the cost of transport; and at the end, those that didn’t partake in any of these moves were the one that got the job.
“That’s because we are poor and know no one at the top. Apart from this, we all know how difficult it is with financial issues this period; some of us have to borrow, just to travel and gather documents. But at the end, all our certificates are not better than ordinary papers. Please, we are begging Nigeria to look into this,” he said.
Adeola Oluwasegun Felix told Saturday Times that: “I am one of the affected applicants of the NIS on 20th December, 2022. I was shortlisted for the CBT examination on May 18th, 2023 at West Consult CBT, adjacent First Bank, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State.
“On 26th June, 2023, I was called for the physical screening exercise at the NIS state command along Old Ife road, Ibadan, Oyo State.
“After all the necessaries things, they asked me for my credentials and medical reports from the state hospital, which I provided. And they said in the next two weeks, I should be prepared to go to Abuja for my documentation.
“But to my surprise, I was seeing some people posting their invitation from different social media platforms that they had been called for the documentation and their faces were not familiar, because during the CBT and physical screening exercise, we shared our contacts. And that’s what we used to create a WhatsApp group so that we could be passing information among ourselves concerning this recruitment.
“For example, in Oyo State’s WhatsApp group, we are 300 applicants and none of us was called for the documentation. I sent a message to someone who posted his invitation for documentation at Abuja, asking where his physical screening exercise was; he said he did not do anything; and that it was his father that called someone at the board to input his name.
“The funniest part of it is that the guy is still in secondary school.
“I traveled all the way from Kaduna for the both CBT and physical screening exercise; and yet, they replaced my name with another person’s. I even hear about someone who bought a slot at the rate of N300,000 so that her name could be included.
“All what we need is justice. We say no to nepotism and job buying. We are also Nigerians.”
Olalekan Rabiu is from Osun State. He also has a sad story to tell. He said he applied for the NSCDC job but was denied and asked for justice. He lamented that he did the CBT in his state but had to travel to Abeokuta, Ogun State, for the interview; yet, he didn’t get the job.
Adelokun Adenike Marvellous also narrated her experience with the NIS job. She spoke about how she risked her life travelling to Abuja, only to allegedly get shortchanged.
“After being successfully shortlisted for examination and screening, I wasn’t sent invitation for documentation; and I found out that they sold slots to their cronies and politicians. That was after spending so much money. I even went to use N35,000 to collect my National Diploma (ND) certificate from my institution.
“I went to Abuja after someone shared a voice note that almost all our names were in the list and that we should wait till they call the names of the applicants at the venue in Abuja. I had to go there. I took the risk. But we weren’t allowed to enter the premises, just because we didn’t had the invitation letter. Nigeria has turned to something else
“And if we continue to live like this, then it means there is no joy for the less privileged.”
Another applicant from Ogun State, Abdulrazak Abdulsalam Olashina, who said he hails from Ifo Local Government, said he applied for NIS job, but was “robbed” of the opportunity.
“I was a final-year student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; and at the same time, I run a cyber cafe in my school which I use to sponsort myself and my brother. I was invited for the CBT in my state capital, Abeokuta. I received the invitation two days before the examination.
“I had to borrow money from some of my colleagues and even sold some of my laptops to gather money for my flight to Lagos, as the examination was impromptu. On finishing the CBT, I waited for their invitation for like two weeks. When I didn’t see their invitation, I was left with no option than to travel back to Sokoto by land to continue my business, because by that time, I was already done with my final year examinations.
“Two days after getting to Sokoto, I received an invitation for physical screening in Ikeja, Lagos State. I had to travel back to Lagos by road again, because I couldn’t afford to book a flight.
“On my way to Lagos, we were attacked by armed robbers in Kotangora, Niger State. All my belongings were collected, including my phone. I got to Lagos empty handed with the hope that I was making the sacrifice for the job of my dream.
“I went for the physical screening and we were assured that we would be invited for the appointment letter collection in Abuja.
“But recently, we heard that people were shortlisted among whom none of those we applied together were; the neither received the invitation nor the appointment letter.
“Look at me now; I am stranded at home, doing nothing, because I couldn’t even go back to Sokoto, as I closed down my shop and most of my customers have gone to somewhere else. To feed myself now is even a difficult thing.
“I told one of my friends from Kwara State about this challenge I am facing; and he told me that there was a politician in their area that gave people immigration work. He said those people did not even apply for the job and they were given the job. He said they had got their appointment letters as we speak.
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“He added that those people were not even qualified to be immigration officers, because they can’t even speak basic English and that some of them were generating sets mechanics until they were given the immigration slots.
“I will appreciate if you can help air our matter and get justice for us, because, to be sincere, I am really depressed as I speak,” he lamented.
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