Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

Activist Mahdi Shehu has urged the Federal Government to abolish the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, programme, arguing that the growing incidence of kidnapping across the country has made the compulsory deployment of young graduates increasingly unsafe.

Speaking on Channels Television, Shehu described the abduction of prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps in Akwa Ibom and Abuja as “one incident too many.”

“There are more unreported cases of kidnapping and maiming and detention almost all over the country, especially in the northern part of the country, the Middle Belt, Northwest, Northeast and North Central.”

Shehu noted that the NYSC was created to foster national unity but questioned its continued relevance if corps members are exposed to kidnapping, violence and other security threats while travelling outside their states of origin.

“The entire NYSC was meant to unite Nigeria, but if in uniting Nigeria, you lose your daughter, you lose your son, you lose your uncle, you lose your sister, you lose your neighbour, then it’s not worth the trouble.”

He suggested that corps members should be allowed to undertake their service within their respective states, citing the financial costs and security risks associated with interstate postings.

“Allow each and every copper to serve in his own state, travelling with all the dangers, with all the costs.”

The activist also questioned the level of commitment shown by some political leaders towards the scheme, alleging that some politicians had obtained fraudulent NYSC certificates despite their apparent lack of confidence in the programme.

“As far as I’m concerned, the NYSC programme has outlived its usefulness. It should be scrapped.”

Addressing the broader security situation, Shehu said the increasing attacks on corps members and commercial travellers were signs of deeper failures in governance and societal responsibility.

“Incidents of kidnapping reflect leadership failure and greed, compounded by followership complacency and enabled by compromised elders and corrupt elements within some security agencies.”

According to him, criminal groups were increasingly identifying vulnerable individuals as “soft targets”, including corps members and travellers, while ransom payments could further finance their activities.

“They are now going for soft targets. The next one is blackmailing either the parents or blackmailing the government to collect money.”

Shehu argued that the situation required a wider assessment of the factors driving kidnapping instead of concentrating solely on individual incidents.

“They are sending fear into the community, and they are few.”

He maintained that the worsening insecurity should trigger a fresh review of the NYSC programme as well as the broader strategies being used to tackle kidnapping across Nigeria.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.