Promotion Exam Turns Painful: Deputy Directors Stranded at JAMB Office after Kidnap of 6 Colleagues
What was supposed to be a defining moment in the careers of senior civil servants, on Wednesday morning, turned into a day of frustration, exhaustion and anxiety, as Deputy Directors from various federal ministries were left stranded for hours outside the headquarters of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Bwari, Abuja, where the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) is conducting its 2025 Directorate Level Promotion Examination.
The examination, which began today and is scheduled to continue through Friday, is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) for Deputy Directors aspiring to be promoted to the rank of Director in the Federal Civil Service.
But as early as 6:00 a.m., candidates who arrived for the exam were made to wait under the scorching sun, denied access into the JAMB premises until the time allocated for their specific sessions.
The day’s schedule was divided into three sessions, beginning with an 8:00 a.m. arrival for the first batch and ending with the last session by 1:10 p.m.
Despite these clear arrangements, dozens of candidates were left standing outside the gate — without seats, shade or explanation. Many lurked around nearby shops and roadside stalls, seeking any semblance of shelter from the morning heat.
One of the candidates, a Deputy Director from a federal ministry in Abuja, who spoke to PRNigeria anonymously, described the experience as “humiliating and painful.”
“We were brought here as if we are ordinary applicants looking for a job,” he said. “No place to sit, no tent, and no water. They told us only those whose sessions are due can enter the premises. Others must remain outside under the sun. It is disgraceful that senior officers, who have served this country for years, are being treated this way.”
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He lamented that even basic provisions for comfort and orderliness were ignored. “Directors are being treated shabbily like this. Is this how they would treat military generals if it were their promotion exam?” he asked bitterly.
The candidate noted that most of them arrived between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m., even when their sessions were hours away, because they wanted to avoid lateness or disqualification. “We left our offices, our homes, some from faraway states, only to be stranded here like beggars,” he said.
“All the candidates outside are complaining bitterly. This is not the way to conduct such a crucial examination.”
Adding to the day’s anxiety was the grim news that six directors of the Federal Ministry of Defence, who were traveling to Abuja to take part in the same promotion exam, were abducted by gunmen along the Kabba–Lokoja highway in Kogi State on Monday.
The abducted officials, identified as Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien, were reportedly traveling from Lagos when their convoy was intercepted by armed men.
Their kidnapping has thrown the civil service community into panic and mourning, with many of their colleagues describing the incident as “heartbreaking” and “a tragic reflection of the dangers civil servants face even in the line of duty.”
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has since raised alarm over the abduction, urging the government to ensure the safe release of the victims and to tighten security for public officials traveling for national duties.
The unfortunate kidnapping, coupled with the disorganization at the JAMB headquarters, has sparked renewed conversations about the value and welfare of Nigeria’s civil servants. Many candidates questioned why a system that demands loyalty and excellence often gives so little dignity in return.
“This kind of treatment is why people disrespect the civil service,” another candidate murmured, shaking his head. “You can’t treat your senior officers this way and expect the institution to command respect.”
By PRNigeria
