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The Human Rights and Justice Group International, a civil society organization, has called on the Federal Government to suspend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) due to the spate of killings and kidnappings in the country.
The group expressed concern about the safety of youth participating in the program in light of recent incidents, including the kidnapping of NYSC members in Anambra and Akwa Ibom States. The group’s Executive Director, Prince Nze, suggested putting the NYSC on hold until the security situation improves in the country.
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Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Prince Nze stated, “For now, due to insecurity, the NYSC should be put on hold. The essence of NYSC is to integrate the youths. Today, some youths who went to the North from Akwa Ibom State have not been accounted for over eight months.
Their parents are worried and nobody could account for them. For you to ask me to send my children to the NYSC for a nation that has more values for cows than human beings, I cannot subject my children to such a situation because if anything happens to them, the country does not care.”
He added, “The level of insecurity is worsened even before Tinubu came on board. We have spent billions of dollars acquiring military equipment and weapons, yet we live in a country where terrorists determine things. As I speak today, there are parts of the country where Boko Haram collects taxes from the people. Farmers cannot go to farms until they pay taxes to Boko Haram in some parts of the North.”
However, Professor Nnamdi Aduba, a Professor of International law at the University of Jos, disagreed with Nze’s views, stating that it is wrong to shield the youths from the problems of the nation.
He argued that the National Youth Service Corps is a valuable program that helps young people know their nation and serves as a startup for their lives, especially in the absence of jobs. Aduba emphasized that insecurity is prevalent in many countries, and suspending the National Youth Service Corps would not be a solution.
In summary, the call for the suspension of the NYSC arises from concerns about the safety of participants amid increasing insecurity in the country, while opposing views highlight the importance of the program in fostering national integration and providing opportunities for young graduates.
