PRISON BREAK EXPERIENCE @ PRISONS SELECTION TEST.

Lagos: Kirikiri centre for Prisons Service was ....ly organised. I had driven my younger one to the venue and we got there by 7am. Our first hurdle was to gain entrance into the venue. Prison officers barricaded the gate saying that the numerous applicants were late. Gate has closed. The junior staff with one rope were shouting at graduates and master degree holders to step back, go home or wherever they may wish. One particularly sympathetic officer came and ordered them to go in as they were not late.

Again, another superior officer from inside chased them back barking and using palm stick to block the entrance. I had to honestly ask my brother to dress up in mufti and we took another entrance, went round and he undressed and found his way into the queue of those waiting to measure their heights. Yes, they were really strict in taking the heights - some really short people have tall faith. One particularly short young man kept muttering prayers.

I was moved with couriousity to ask one gentleman who stepped out of his car what on earth he came to do in while shorts and shirts. He promply informed me that he works with UBA but needs a government job!

The race was the most interesting part of the whole show. Mothers with babies had to hand over their kids to nannies, (one lady actually looked pregnant) fat ladies, lanky and all sorts were on display. One officer actually asked them to run because it is the race of their life, their life actually depended on it. They ran in full zeal to get the dull prison uniform. The first set of runners were actually misinformed that only three tallies were at the other end and as such only three will qualify from the group of 66. Some lost hope before the race started only for them to get to the other side and find out taht there wee tallies for every one. Some actually collaped in the race of their lives.

Again the rains did not help matters. Even after the platoons had finished the race and rested, the officers were sluggish to commence the test. They went about eating and drinking and merry making, romping with the 12 Civil Defence staff while the candidates that scaled thru started the waiting game. Scofield must see them and their lapses. For hours they waited. I became courious and met one of the officers when it was some minutes after three pm. The officer mentioned that he wouldn't be surprised if candles are used to write the test. When it was 4 pm, I told my bros to find his way after the test as I had an appointment to keep elsewhere.

What happened later as he informed me is better left to your imagination.

In all, I have to commend the efforts of the most ranking officer in the Kirikiri that Saturday. The man really had to intervene and personally fish out a lady who did not finish the race which he particularly noted. The timing was ok 18minutes for 3.2km. But who measured the distance?

At last the so-called successful candidates from the states will have to go to do battle with the Abuja forces. So much to become a warden or is it warder?

Although, the much awaited, and emphasized Services aptitude test has come and gone. It was ladden with various experiences...which still remain fresh, rich, funny, challenging disappointing,... etc. (the list is endless.) You are the only one the knows how it went for you.

This is the opportunity for house folks to learn from your experiences, and vice versal, while expressing you thoughts, sharing and having fun at the same time. Don't hesitate to air your views on the fate of the Nigerian graduate and the sights and sounds in your centre.

From Abuja to Zaria, let us feel you, as you join this fast moving interactive train. Welcome on board

Mine was a very funny experience, a very dramatic one indeed... I saw the extreme desperation of Nigerian graduates... i mean B.sc holders and professionals.

To be candid, we were up to Six thousand that filled the compound of Govt, Day sec sch Gwawalada, as early as Six-fifteen PM. A crowd that was three time the size during my NYSC orientation, I have only seen some thing close to this when i went for LNG interview sometimes last year.

This provoked a lot questions that i found difficult to answer. Where are a heading to in this country? This number revealed the gravity of the problem of unemployment. The number was only for the FCT, without including other 36 states in the federation. I learnt from a reliable source that the vacancies that existed was only 2500 through out the country.

The hold exercise was a flop. The officials could not control the crowd. The jogging to determine fitness saw candidates riding on Bikes (Okada) to meet up with the limited time.

As if that was not enough, the whole test was not co-ordinated; some candidates who could not get sits in the few available class-rooms had to take theirs outside. It was like a market Square. May Go Help us in Naija. AMEN

IT WAS ALMOST THE SAME IN IMMIGRATION HERE IN PORT HARCOURT

no be small thing oh!it wasn't easy we had casualties here and we were about 799 but after the checking of height and running we were only abt 300 that wrote the exams.

god will help us 4 dis country

In my younger brodas case,he didnt even gain acess,he said he's is beta than those that went n d gates in Asaba bt were screened out as a result of one credential, age and what ve u...the crowd alone is smtin 2 worry the leaders of this country, the level of unemployment is alarming all in the bid to put on a lousy uniform...bt d bar sha na correct paddy

That faithful morning, d El-rufai bus i entered went through kuje for gwagwalada and as at when we got to kuje where the prisons are doing theirs d road was already blocked (7am) and we were ment to reverse and follow airport giri road, with what i saw at kuje i had concluded that immigration would have finished before we get there, but to my greatest surprise even though a junior officer tried to stop us, we still went in and as at 10am we were still on queue. it shows that prisons are more organised.

Immediately we finished d so-called 3.2km i was panting and grasping for breath in one of the classrooms when i saw people moving towards some of the officers but before i got there a superior officer had calm d situation. They had said that some persons were given a different colour of tally which means they were the people that started and completed d race genuinely. That is to tell u that their .......... has started even before writing d test

Guys, the tales are cool and very disappointing to say the least. It's only God that will deliver us in this country. For those who went and didn't succeed, keep on trying. God dey!

in calabar people died and this job self na dull khaki we wan wear self. nna come see men de run pass obudu mountain race and drop butty run pass men self.though the calabar center was coordinated, see how common warders were ordering graduates around cos they know that u are coming in to be higher than them. all the same i commend the ministry of interior for thinking about those who can't access the back door in nigeria

In my own case- no b small tin walihi. I had 2 sleep in town 2 meet d 7am deadline.but as nature would av it ,man no b fire wood.D guys i slept with,if i would say were once part of BEERFEST.cos we had 2 drink n Smoke not wtstandg d exam som had d nxt.When i even tot it ws ova ie abt 1am one of dem said lets go out as in clubbin.wetin man go do now-i had no choice than 2 hop in d ride.then headed 4 IBIZA;a popular joint in d FCT.we were there til lyk 5.30am.Can u Imagin?
But we came bak in 1 piece. slp 4 30mins. then prepared 4 d exam dt culd b best described as an Event of Formality. Whichh way Naija. Pls, if u av ur way jst liv ere ds country evn if its Ghana or Togo all na Abroad >:(

no be small thing ooo
The scofield of that day warry oooo.

Na true una talk sha!Abuja was poorly organized as the officers could not control the crowd and the race was a sham cos people had to take bikes to meet up with time while the immigration officers stood watching and could not penalise anybody for cheating.i felt cheated because i had to do the whole 3.2 km and many others just rode to the last point,but i no vex sha na 9ja we dey, a place to be proud of.kudos to all of you that ran the whole 3.2km even if you dont get the job at least you satisfied your concience,and baba God almighty will see us through.one love

the situation of employment in this country is disheartening. I weep for Nigeria,ordinarily speaking the future is bleak but through the perspective of Religion and Faith,God will deliver us someday.

Although, the much awaited, and emphasized Services aptitude test has come and gone. It was ladden with various experiences...which still remain fresh, rich, funny, challenging disappointing,... etc. (the list is endless.) You are the only one the knows how it went for you.

This is the opportunity for house folks to learn from your experiences, and vice versal, while expressing you thoughts, sharing and having fun at the same time. Don't hesitate to air your views on the fate of the Nigerian graduate and the sights and sounds in your centre.

From Abuja to Zaria, let us feel you, as you join this fast moving interactive train. Welcome on board

Mine was a very funny experience, a very dramatic one indeed... I saw the extreme desperation of Nigerian graduates... i mean B.sc holders and professionals.

To be candid, we were up to Six thousand that filled the compound of Govt, Day sec sch Gwawalada, as early as Six-fifteen PM. A crowd that was three time the size during my NYSC orientation, I have only seen some thing close to this when i went for LNG interview sometimes last year.

This provoked a lot questions that i found difficult to answer. Where are a heading to in this country? This number revealed the gravity of the problem of unemployment. The number was only for the FCT, without including other 36 states in the federation. I learnt from a reliable source that the vacancies that existed was only 2500 through out the country.

The whole exercise was a flop. The officials could not control the crowd. The jogging to determine fitness saw candidates riding on Bikes (Okada) to meet up with the limited time.

As if that was not enough, the whole test was not co-ordinated; some candidates who could not get sits in the few available class-rooms had to take theirs outside. It was like a market Square. May God Help us in NAIJA AMEN.

guys una need to see how d thing be for my own EDO STATE. in my own case me and some other people cover abt 8km and yet we were not allowed to write the exam. i can not even tell this house wat my eyes saw. i tell u the screening was a big mess. imagin those immigration officers that has no better qualifications beating us as if we were animals calling us all kind of names and as if that was not enough, they did not allow us to carry our bags after the whole thing. OMO that was how we became stranded o! our monies, phones and cloths were inside our bags and these office did not allow us to carry them so we hv not other option than to sleep in their office o!. come and see how mosquitos and cold dealt with us, u know we were still in our wet shorts and T shirts o boy no be small thing. the intresting part of the thing is that almost all the prominent men in EDO STATE has their candidate infact the names of those prominent men that they mention to us as we were sleeping that night tells me that we only went their to wast our time.
my brothers MAY GOD HELP US make i rest here. i no even tell una say onoe immigration officer break somebody leg just like that my brother take heart o!!!

From Jos the state capital of Plateau. I actually participated in the Prisons. It was full of fun as there were a lot of causaulties. The Road Safety and the state controller of the prison vehicles moved ahead while a jounalist was on okada covering the event as the applicants run and ambulance follow behind. By the two sides of the road within the 3.5km there were Civil defence, Road safety and armed squard of the prisons.
I hope they do not just use us to give jounalist and the general public topic to write and talk about. However, I must personally comment the effort of the Minister for internal affairs the retired Major General.
May our labour past never be in vain.

in my place kogi state, it was fire on the mountain. may God help this country. the populatio is too much.; I GOD WE

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Originally Posted by Sholi

Although, the much awaited, and emphasized Services aptitude test has come and gone. It was ladden with various experiences...which still remain fresh, rich, funny, challenging disappointing,... etc. (the list is endless.) You are the only one the knows how it went for you.

This is the opportunity for house folks to learn from your experiences, and vice versal, while expressing you thoughts, sharing and having fun at the same time. Don't hesitate to air your views on the fate of the Nigerian graduate and the sights and sounds in your centre.

From Abuja to Zaria, let us feel you, as you join this fast moving interactive train. Welcome on board

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