- I Paid A Bribe
- 14 years ago
- 3017 views
Why do i have ATM steciled on my forehead?
I work in the offshore industry, just a family man who needs to pay the bills and pay for his children's education.
I am at present offshore Port Harcourt Nigeria on a 28 days on, 28 days off rotation.
Every time I (and all other oil workers) arrive and leave the country I have to run the gamut of immigration officials, port health officials, customs officials, secruity officials, bomb squad officials, airport security, curriency officials and some I still don't know what their title is. All asking and what have you got for me today?
To each of these people, I am a walking ATM machine. Going home is the worst. You want to get on the plane and they know it. Don't pay and it becomes very stressful, if you do not want a heart attack pay to ease your path through. On an average departure from Nigeria you are confronted by the following... 2 x security who search your check in bag for gifts or money. That done you get a little blue X-********** sticker put on the bag. Next the bag is searched by up to 6 bomb squad people looking for the same. After this you check in and hand your bag over to X-********** who are always hungry or have hungry children, they can't open your bag and search unless there is reason to do so like no **********! When you have completed these negotiations you pass through to immigration. There are always 3 behind the desk and usually 2 'floaters' hanging around making sure there are no anomolies in the visa or passport. After that you get hit by customs and currency control hahahaha! that just means making sure you have nothing left. Next is the airport security, coats and shoes off belts etc in the tray and the hand luggage go through X-********** machine. Here there are at least 7 people in uniform and every one of them has to go through you bag. If they are bold they will try and take your laptop off you, if they have had a good day then you cologne will do. And then there is always a plain clothed man at the door to the departure lounge going through your papers asking what you have to give him, not much left I can tell you!
Once through into the departure lounge you can relax, that is until the flight is called and then there is one final search before you get to the steps of the plane. I can't take this any more, I am packing it in and looking for work elsewhere I cannot take the stress anymore. My employer is unsympathetic so what can you do?