Four pregnant women, 15 others die at Immigration recruitment

A recruitment drive by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Saturday, ended in death, tears and sorrow for many at most of the centres across the country.

In all 19 people died: three pregnant women in Benin, eight applicants made up of six women and two men in Abuja, three in Minna and five in Port Harcourt including a pregnant woman.

Dozens of others were injured in stampedes as the applicants struggled to position themselves at the recruitment centres.

The ruling PDP last night expressed sympathies with the families of the dead.

Those in Calabar were flogged by security men brought in to control the sea of heads that turned up for the aptitude test.

The situation at the National Stadium, Abuja which served as the Federal Capital Territory centre was particularly rowdy.

About 70,000 turned up for the test.

About 50 of them including pregnant women were injured in the stampede that ensued as the applicants tried to gain entry into the main bowl of the stadium through only one point.