By Oluseye Ojo
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on the Federal Government to urgently review the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme by allowing participants to serve within their states of origin or residence.
The organisation cited rising insecurity and targeted attacks on corps members across the country as the basis for making the demand.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, said the growing wave of kidnappings and killings involving prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps has made interstate postings increasingly dangerous and untenable.
Afenifere cited recent cases, including that of Sodiq Ogunlana, a graduate of Lagos State University (LASU), who was shot and abducted while travelling to the NYSC orientation camp in Ede, Osun State; Lateefah, a Kwara Polytechnic graduate kidnapped on her way to Taraba State and Gift David Samiya, who was abducted along the Akwanga-Jos Road en route to camp.
Describing the trend as alarming, the group said it had first raised concerns as far back as 2021 when corps members came under attack by bandits, stressing that recent developments have reinforced the urgency of its earlier recommendation.
“No Nigerian deserves to be kidnapped or killed extrajudicially. Youth corps members deserve special consideration due to the peculiar nature of their service. If the scheme cannot be suspended, it should be modified to ensure participants serve within their states of origin or residence rather than being posted to unfamiliar and high-risk areas,” Afenifere stated.
The organisation warned that continued exposure of young graduates to unsafe travel routes and volatile regions could erode public confidence in the NYSC scheme and endanger lives.
Afenifere linked the situation to the broader security crisis across the country, noting that attacks by bandits and terrorists have intensified in both the South West and northern regions.
It stressed that decisive action must be taken to protect citizens, particularly vulnerable groups like corps members, adding that safeguarding the future of Nigeria’s youth should be a top national priority.
The group reiterated that reviewing the NYSC posting policy in light of prevailing security realities is not only necessary but urgent, warning that failure to act could lead to more tragic incidents involving young Nigerians serving their fatherland.
Afenifere stressed the need to prioritise non-kinetic strategies, while strengthening intelligence operations
It expressed concern that many attacks are carried out by armed groups on motorcycles, questioning how such convoys evade detection.
