Abuja – The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it introduced the use of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machine to mark the scripts of candidates to ensure that its recruitment process was thorough.

Over 200,000 candidates all over the country sat for the recruitment examination on July 5.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the Chief of Administration of the army, Maj-.Gen.Garuba Wahab, said they decided to use the machine to ensure a hitch free recruitment.

Wahab said the system was to let Nigerians know that nobody was cheated and that the recruitment would be based on merit.

He assured the candidates that it would be impossible to influence the marking of the candidates’ scripts.

“That is why, during the exams, we used computerised answer sheets.

“The marks are recorded as the machines are marking the scripts, thereby making it difficult for anybody to influence.

“At the end, the machines bring out all candidates names in the order of merit, and also inform the candidates how they have performed and also invite them for interview.’’

Wahab said the systems were reliable and efficient, adding that, “if those scripts were to be marked manually, it could take about 15 men to do.

“The machine started marking the scripts on Sunday July 6 and hopefully by Thursday morning, the whole process would have been over.

He said that the Nigerian Army would continue to improve on the process for efficiency and reliability.

“We are bringing in psychiatrists and psychologists, apart from the normal medical examination and we will provide this in all the centres.

“Those things were there before, but we want to place more emphasis on them.

“We are doing all these because we want the best for the army and those determined to serve the nation, not those looking for job.’’ (NAN)