The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) says more than 1.9 million Nigerians have applied for just 30,000 vacancies in the country’s paramilitary agencies.

Figures published on the board’s recruitment portal, www.recruitment.cdcfib.gov.ng, on Monday show that Kogi State recorded the highest number of applicants at 116,243, followed closely by Kaduna with 114,599, and Benue with 110,644.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that prior to the commencement of the online application process, the board had announced plans to recruit no fewer than 30,000 candidates into the agencies.

The full breakdown of applicants by state is as follows: Kano – 89,421; Niger – 79,567; Kwara – 78,467; Katsina – 76,917; Nasarawa – 76,677; Adamawa – 68,381; Oyo – 67,255; Plateau – 63,450; Osun – 62,399; Borno – 56,955; Ondo – 53,963; Akwa Ibom – 52,531; Bauchi – 52,159; Imo – 48,301; Taraba – 45,188; Gombe – 45,074; Jigawa – 44,468; Ogun – 42,070; Enugu – 41,291; Yobe – 38,169; Kebbi – 34,612; Edo – 33,581; Anambra – 32,933; Ekiti – 32,719; Cross River – 32,226; Abia – 31,716; Sokoto – 31,155; Federal Capital Territory – 30,320; Zamfara – 29,282; Delta – 27,980; Ebonyi – 23,617; Rivers – 22,217; Lagos – 14,221; and Bayelsa – 11,680.

The board assured that successful applicants would be informed in due course.

“Please, monitor your email and text messages in the coming weeks, for notifications,” the statement read.