The great NYSC crime cover-up

The great NYSC crime cover-up
By Peter Nkanga

July 31, 2011 12:34AM


Almost a year after officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested and prosecuted 69 fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members rounded up at an illegal NYSC orientation camp in Keffi, Nassarawa State, the suspected organisers of the camp, believed to be high-ranking NYSC officials, are still walking free and are being shielded from investigation and prosecution by the leadership of the service, NEXT investigation has shown.
Highly-placed sources in the NSCDC and the police said while the ‘fake corpers’ who are more or less victims of the corrupt and mercantile tendencies of some NYSC officials, have been disgraced and convicted, the NYSC director-general, Maharazu Tsiga, a serving Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army, has made it impossible for operatives of the NSDC and the police to bring the suspected masterminds behind the illegal camp to book.
NEXT learnt that the NYSC boss has used his military links to block investigations into the matter and has spurned requests by the police to interrogate some of his staff implicated in the scandal.
The 69 ‘fake corpers’ including a nursing mother, were apprehended on July 26, 2010 when NSCDC operators swooped on their camp in a remote location in Nassarawa State. They were immediately arraigned before a Keffi Upper Area Court, which, in August 2010, sentenced each of them to three years imprisonment, with an option of a N10,000 fine.
The culprits, who acknowledged that they were not eligible to participate in the one-year compulsory national service, however confessed that they each paid between N70,000 and N150,000 to suspected NYSC agents across the country to procure fake NYSC call-up letters to the fake camp, believed by security agents to have been in existence for many years before last year’s raid.
One NSCDC personnel who partook in the raid, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the criminal syndicate behind the camp even had police officers attached to the place in an apparent bid to make it pass for the real thing.

Blocking investigations
Since the raid, NEXT learnt that the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja and the headquarters of the NSCDC have laboured vigorously to get to the root of the matter and uncover those behind the fake camp. Our investigation indicates that Mr Tsiga has effectively frustrated the investigations by failing to release his staff named in the scam to the investigating officers for questioning.
Before running into the brick wall erected against their work by the NYSC boss and his officials, detectives of the two security agencies were able to identify at least four staff at the NYSC head office in Abuja. Those identified are Idris Y. Abubakar, Mwangwi Kingsley, Ahmed Alhassan, and one Abraham, commonly known as AB, as having a case to answer.
The NSCDC operative, who did not want his name mentioned for fear that he might be punished, said his agency passed the report of its investigation to both the leadership of the NYSC and the anti-fraud unit of the police. He said his team had to give up the chase of the suspected NYSC officials after the leadership of the youth service scheme “became very hostile” to investigators, and wouldn’t allow access to suspects.
But while the NSCDC has surrendered, the police have continued the chase, but are becoming increasingly frustrated as well. An officer privy to the investigation said the inquiry was not making any headway either “because of the recalcitrant attitude of the NYSC DG.” Mr Tsiga has shown clearly on at least two occasions that he was not keen on security agents unravelling those behind the crime. In November 2010, the Police wrote to the NYSC boss requesting him to release the four suspects who are members of his staff for interrogation. In the letter (seen our reporter) he was also requested to supply documents and other details needed to help in their investigation. Mr Tsiga did not respond, despite the letter being received and acknowledged in his office.
After a four-month wait for Mr Tsiga’s response, the police again wrote to the NYSC boss in March 2011, reminding him of their request for his cooperation in interrogating the brains behind the criminal syndicate in his organisation. Mr Tsiga still refused to reply or render assistance, thus undermining the police’s effort to unravel the crime.
“We have since realised that he has no respect for the police,” lamented a top police officer in Abuja. “We do not know whether he has anything to hide in this matter. But it is clear he does not want this investigation. Or maybe he is playing for time, believing that with time, the investigation will be swept under the carpet and forgotten.”

Shielding Mr Tsiga
Numerous attempts to reach Mr Tsiga for his comments were rebuffed by NYSC officials. At one time in late June, he was said to be attending a conference in Kaduna State. Upon his return the following week, the NYSC spokesperson, Mercy Kolajo, was again contacted. She however declined comment, saying “It is only the DG who can speak officially on this issue. I cannot say anything unless he gives clearance.” Instead of making efforts to put our reporter in touch with Mr Tsiga, she merely referred him to Mr Tsiga’s protocol officer, identified as Mr Yusuf, who was to facilitate audience with the army general, but he refused after being briefed of the matter.
“This is a sensitive issue which I don’t think I am in a position to handle. NYSC has a Public Relations Unit, which handles such matters. This kind of issue should not have been brought to me,” Mr Yusuf said. “They are the ones who should facilitate your seeing the DG. They should know better. I’ll have to refer you back there.” With the way our reporter was tossed around by officials for several weeks, it appears the NYSC head office, located in the Maitama district of Abuja, is being run in a military commando style, where no one is willing to present any perceived ‘bad news’ before the General. However, after a recent visit to the place, Hillary Nasamu, an administration official attached to Mr Tsiga, denied that any staff of the NYSC was involved in any criminal act.
“Why would an NYSC officer be involved? Even by the imagination of the most naive person, what would an NYSC person benefit from a fake camp?” Mr Nasamu said.
He also denied knowledge of any letter written to his boss by the police on the matter. “No, No, No, there is none,” Mr Nasamu said. “At least I should know because I work with the DG. Such information would have come in. There is nothing like that. That I know very well.” But our investigation was able to establish that the police letters were indeed delivered and properly acknowledged at Mr Tsiga’s office.
The police also appear reluctant to speak on the record in this matter. When our reporter first contacted him, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Yemi Ajayi, requested that the enquiry be e-mailed directly to him. But on receiving the questions, he said he was not competent to speak on the matter. He directed all enquiries to the Force Public Relations Officer, Sola Amore, who could not be reached as at the time the paper was to go to press.

An organised crime
The police and NSCDC operatives who spoke to us said organising fake NYSC camps had for long been a lucrative side-business for some staff of the scheme.
The suspects operated the parallel orientation camp in Nasarawa State where they provide complete NYSC kits to about 300 fake youth corps members assembled from all over Nigeria. These would also be given letters to fraudulently serve in organisations and subsequently obtain NYSC discharge certificates.
“As an organised crime, the whole exercise is a syndicate thing made up of a cartel all over the country with agents both in the tertiary institutions, NYSC Office and so on,” NSCDC national spokesperson, Emmanuel Okeh, said when the news of the Nasarawa fake camp first broke last year.

Boko Haram - NYSC Spends N4 Million on Corps Members' Relocation

Boko Haram - NYSC Spends N4 Million on Corps Members' Relocation

Abdulkareem Haruna
28 July 2011


Maiduguri — National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) may have spent about N4 million on transportation to get the 2011 Batch 'B' Corp members out of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in view of the insecurity caused by the continuing Boko Haram insurgence.
But NYSC authorities in the state said the circumstance that warranted the total redeployment of the Corps members had been exaggerated beyond the real situation on ground.
NYSC Coordinator for Borno State, Nuhu Kwage, who was not specific about the actual cost of transporting the freshly oriented youth corps members out of Maiduguri to their respective states of origin, said "it will cost the NYSC not less than N4 million."
Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General, Maharazu Tsiga, had two weeks ago ordered that in view of the security challenges in the state, he could not allow the corps members to remain in the state that is being fled by even the residents.
Speaking to Journalists during the closing of the Batch 'B' Orientation in Maiduguri, Kwage commended the courage of the corps
Members, who, despite the pressures from their respective homes kept calm till the end of the two weeks orientation exercise.
"About 140 Corps members that participated in the orientation exercise that just concluded have surprisingly lobbied to be left to remain; so we have posted them to areas outside the crisis zone in the state. But interestingly some of them have even lobbied from outside this camp to be posted to Maiduguri where everyone sees as a hot zone. And this may not be unconnected by the fact that the JTF Commander, had come to assure them that their security is guaranteed because the attacks going on in town is targeted at government and not on private individuals."
He added that "this situation is highly exaggerated and that was why it was difficult for us to convince outsiders that things were calm here in the camp; but those of who are here know that it was not the whole of Borno State that is faced with the crisis; the whole of the crisis being reported happened only within Maiduguri and some little part of Jere, which are only two out of the 27 local government areas of the state." As at the closure of camp, about 93 buses from the public transport were rented to convey the Corps members to their respective states where they are expected to spend two weeks break before reporting for their new postings.

NYSC Redeploys 82 Corps Members From Bauchi

NYSC Redeploys 82 Corps Members From Bauchi

28 July 2011

No fewer than 82 of the 620 corps members deployed to Bauchi State for the current service year have been redeployed to other states.
The NYSC coordinator in the state, Mr Abraham Tizhe, who spoke with newsmen at the orientation camp in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state, said during the programme, more than 300 corps members applied for redeployment to other states. He said that he and other NYSC officials had to counsel and assure them that the state would be conducive for them. He said after that, 200 of them withdrew their applications for redeployment.
Tizhe assured the corps members that security agencies had taken necessary measures to secure their lives and property, and urged them to avoid any act that could tarnish their image. He advised them to shun partisan politics and respect the tradition and culture of their host communities.
In his message, Governor Isa Yuguda assured the corps members that government had put in place all necessary measures to ensure their security and welfare.

Ahmed, Yuguda Assure Corps Members of Their Safety

Ahmed, Yuguda Assure Corps Members of Their Safety

Dele Moses, Ilorin And Patience Ogbodo
26 July 2011


Bauchi — Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has assured corps members serving in the state security of their lives and properties.
Ahmed gave the assurance on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2011 Batch 'B' corps members in the state at the orientation camp in Yikpata, Edu local government area of the state.
He said that his administration has put in place adequate security arrangement to ensure that the corps members and all other people in the state are safe.
He stated: "We are all aware of the security threats to the corporate existence of this country, therefore, my administration has put adequate apparatus in place to checkmate it, and also to ensure adequate protection of lives and properties in the state extending to our corps members deployed to the state".
"The state government will not renege on its earlier promises of building additional hostels on camp, perimeter fencing, provision of more functional vehicle and ensuring the repairs of the five out of the six bore holes that were shallowly dug to facilitate the operations of the scheme in the state," he assured.
The state coordinator of NYSC, Ngozi Ezekwe, commended the state government for its support to the scheme and reiterated commitment of the NYSC to the development of the state.
However, Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda has charged local government council chairmen to ensure that all corps members posted to their respective areas were adequately protected.
Isa Yuguda gave the charge on Tuesday during the close of the orientation exercise of the corps members held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation camp, Wailo.
The Governor also reiterated the commitment of his administration to the wellbeing and security of the corps members.
He called on them to report to the security agents any suspicious movements around them for prompt action.
Yuguda, who was represented by the State Head of Civil Service, Abdon Dalla Gin, urged the corps members to report to government through their secretariat any council chairman, who refused to cooperate with them, as according to him, "government is committed to ensure that the corps members have a successful service year in the state".
He, however, advised them to ensure that they embarked on developmental projects and programmes that would make their service year memorable and useful for posterity.

Youth minister to restructure NYSC

Youth minister to restructure NYSC
JULY 25, 2011

BY CALEB AYANSINA

ABUJA- The Minister of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, weekend, promised to reform the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to make it more effective and efficient.

Abdullahi said, the essence of the reform was also to make the NYSC play major role in the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The minister, who disclosed this during his visit to the NYSC Orientation Camp, Kubwa, FCT, pledged to take the scheme to the next level and ensure it fulfilled current needs and expectations of the country.

The minister described youths as greatest asset of the country and promised to create a platform that would make them harness their potentials.

The minister also pledged to give prompt attention to the welfare of youths in the country.

He said: “Our greatest resource is not oil, but you, the youths. For us in the Ministry, we will continue to engage and create platform to harness potentials of our youth.

“We will add more innovations to the scheme (NYSC) in a way that will bring returns not only to Nigeria, but also to corps members that are participating in the scheme.”

Tension, mixed feelings as 622 fresh corps members arrive Bauchi

Tension, mixed feelings as 622 fresh corps members arrive Bauchi
JULY 19, 2011

By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi

IN the wake of the brutal murder of 10 corps members in Bauchi State, many parents, especially in the Southern part of Nigeria, had vowed not to let their children serve in the state if they are posted there by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. As far as these parents were concerned, Bauchi was no longer a safe place to live, especially if you are a stranger.


This was a sentiment shared by several other people in the country, including many state government officials in the South. So, it was not surprising when there arose strident calls that the NYSC should not post corps members to Bauchi State.

But the state government had moved to douse the anger and tension generated by that ugly incident by assuring concerned parents that it was committed to protecting the lives of corps members under its care.

As if the NYSC has indeed taken the government’s words for it, 633 young graduates were posted to Bauchi State to participate in the 2011/2012 Batch ‘B’ service year. The NYSC state Coordinator, Mr Ibrahim Tzihe, confirmed that 620 corps members were registered for the exercise.

The corps members recently swore an oath of allegiance at the NYSC Wailo Orientation Camp in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state where government once again assured them of adequate security in the state throughout their service.

The State Governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Aminu Saleh, said: “The State Government is using this occasion to acknowledge the sacrifice made by corps members during the recently concluded general elections, to the extent that some of them paid the supreme price.

We want to assure corps members that the perpetrators of the hideous crime shall all be brought to justice”.

The Governor who noted that activities of the NYSC scheme have positively affected the socio-economic development of the country, stressed that the scheme has served as a unifying factor for religious, ethnic and cultural differences.

But in spite of these words of comfort, most of the corp members present wore worried faces.

When Vanguard Metro spoke to some of the visibly troubled corps members, they strongly appealed to the Bauchi State Government to provide adequate security measures to safeguard their lives during the service year.

They expressed mixed feelings about their posting to Bauchi State, with most unable to hide their fear of the tragic fate that befell some of their colleagues during the April post-election violence.

The corps members said that even though it was impossible to change what had happened in the past, they were still sceptical about the ability of government to protect them from attack, particularly in the local government areas, where, it is alleged, most of the violence took place.

Modesta Ugo, a Batch B corps member from Kogi State said she was initially not happy when she was posted to Bauchi State for her service year, but had to accept her posting as the will of God for her life.

She said: “It took me time to come in terms with fact that I was being posted to a state where some of my colleagues lost their lives. Even though we do not pray for evil, I pray I complete my service year without problems”.

The corps member called on all the security agents in the state to provide maximum security for corp members so that they will not fall victim to blood-thirsty miscreants.

Another corps member, Bode Oloruwajun from Ondo State, said he initially intended to apply for a change of posting to another state, but had to change his mind following persuasions from his parents to take his posting to Bauchi in good faith.

“I changed my mind because my parents persuaded me to serve in Bauchi. They told me that it is only God that can guarantee adequate security and I should be prayerful,” he said.

But Josephine Michael said she intends to apply for redeployment back to Abuja, because she did not feel secured serving in the state.

According to her: “I just feel insecure here, so I must work my redeployment to where I feel safe. My parents are in support of this”.

NYSC to Introduce Skills Acquisition Programme

NYSC to Introduce Skills Acquisition Programme

Sadeeq Aliyu
18 July 2011

The Director General of National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) Brigadier General Mahrazu Tsiga has said that plans are underway by the scheme to introduce a skills acquisition programme to empower corps members after their service year.

Brigadier Tsiga, who said this in Kano while on inspection tour of orientation camps across the country, said the directorate has already written to government on the matter and that corps members have been asked to carry out feasibility studies on businesses of their choice.

He said any corps member, who is committed to the programme would be given N250, 000 as take up grant, saying the gesture would reduce dependence on government.

Tsiga assured that the new monthly allowance of N19,800 will be effective from this month, and that the 2010 Batch 'B' corps members would be given four months arrears of the new package. He called on states and local governments to ensure prompt payment of corps members allowances, saying it is a right not a privilege. He maintained that the Act establishing the scheme stipulates that governments and stake holders must pay allowances to corps members.

He added that corps members are not supposed to pay for their accommodation, saying where there is no accommodation, the employers should give the corps members money to pay for it.

FG Earmarks N500m As Loans To NYSC

FG Earmarks N500m As Loans To NYSC

Brig.-Gen. Maharazu Tsiga , the NYSC Director–General, says the Federal Government has earmarked N500 million for disbursement as loans to corps members to enable them to establish businesses.
Tsiga made the initiative known in Sokoto on Sunday when he addressed Batch ‘’B” 2011 corps members at the temporary NYSC orientation camp at Government Technical College, Farfaru-Sokoto.
He said that under the programme ,“corps members will be given some money to establish their own small-scale businesses.
“The money had been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan under the NYSC war against poverty programme.”
Tsiga said that potential beneficiaries were expected to present feasibility studies, adding that ”when they are approved, we only require their bank accounts to deposit the approved loans.”
He said that the programme, initiated in 2009, was being properly supervised.
Tsiga said that 20 beneficiaries of the programme had just returned from the U.S. after undergoing free training in that country.
“Each of them was given N5 million for the establishment of their own small-scale businesses ,” he added.
Tsiga said that the payment of the newly approved N19,800 monthly allowance to NYSC members took effect from March.

Why kill those innocent Youth Corps members? – Lady Gloria Chuma-Ibe

Why kill those innocent Youth Corps members? – Lady Gloria Chuma-Ibe
JULY 17, 2011

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

She still finds it hard to believe that the lives of innocent Youth Corps members could be terminated simply because of the outcome of a general election. Dr. Lady Gloria Chuma-Ibe, Director for Exhibitions & Museum at the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization- CBAAC in Lagos, strongly fears that this sudden loss of value for human life could degenerate into an uncontrollable national crisis if not addressed. Here, Lady Gloria who recently bagged a Cultural Ambassador award from the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners-NANTAP among six other distinguished Nigerians, decries such wanton killings which are supposed to be absent in an African society.

Her words:

From the early days of my work at CBAAC since 1982, my spirit told me that if we at CBAAC cannot reach out to the man on the street with what we do, then we’re of no relevance to the society. If culture is actually to ensure that our positive values are handed over from generation to generation, what are we doing to ensure this is done since things are going wrong in the society? Like Martin Luther King told us, there are two bodies of knowledge in life; one is science and the other is culture. If culture does not chastise science which is technology, man will gradually go extinct. Culture here is your religion, acts, performances, and all other positive values embedded in the world of culture.

If we do not tailor science to suit the purposes of man, man will someday use nuclear bomb to render the world extinct. So, the essence of culture and our existence at CBAAC, is to control technology at the pace it is going.

If we don’t bring in humanity into technology, people will go extinct because one day, somebody will say “Let me test this bomb and see whether it will work” and before you know it, the entire world will be reduced to dust! God will not let that happen!

Culture is to give a conscience to science, reminding people to do unto others as they would want others do unto them. If those values that make us co-exist as human beings are allowed to die, some day, those in science will end up eliminating everybody! These values include value for human life, for humanity, etc. Science actually has no conscience, and would rather prefer computers and robots to human beings!

The truth is that we seem to have totally lost value for life. This amazes me so much! The line of thinking of our brothers and sisters in the Northern part of Nigeria is such that can really give one migraine! The Arabs in Libya and some other countries kind of operated a monarchical leadership, and have actually been enduring for hundreds of years, the notion of a man leading and handing over to his son.

We in a way agree that their protest today is right because every human being requires freedom since when you’re free, you can contribute to how you’re led. So, we can understand that they are fighting for democracy which is what is being advocated in the whole world today. Nobody wants monarchy anymore!

Even if the monarchs want to exist, let them exist on their own like we have in Britain; they have their monarchs but they are not interfering with leadership. So, that way, people can have their human rights.

In Northern Nigeria, every small incident in Nigeria sparks off the killing of human beings. This issue is still not being addressed because we seem not to have leaders who could call a spade by its name. What offence did those youth corps members killed recently in the north commit? They were put there just to ensure there is transparency. Don’t we have Muslims in the South? They’re not killing anybody for any reason. They are co-existing with Christians without any problem.

Even if the North says Nigeria should split, how is it going to favour them when they do not have what it takes to stay as a nation? The minerals and all the things they need to survive on are in the South. Yes, they’ve managed to produce food to an extent, and that’s good also. Nature has made everybody inter-dependent, and we should learn to respect that so that we can all live together as human beings! Why can’t we stop being tribalistic, and look for leaders who know what to offer?

Look at Fashola in Lagos State! Igbos, Hausas, Yorubas, and in fact everybody voted for him because we can see what he’s doing. Even the blind knows that Fashola is working. Look at all what he was able to offer within a period of four years only! All we should seek is for life to be conducive for us all.

Let there be security, education, basic needs of life, etc. We shouldn’t care who is there in as much as we have a president who is interested in what he has come to do, and not in amassing wealth. Who takes wealth to heaven or to the grave? If you’re alive and you cannot impact anybody’s life positively, what is the wealth to you? You will leave that money behind when you die, but the souls you’ve touched will forever remember you.

Let’s fight for the best person to rule. We need to stop this wasting of lives because of elections results, religion, etc. Why can’t those who lost at elections accept their defeat in good faith?

Our children who are posted to other parts of the country for youth service should be made to feel at home there. The one that made me weep was a group of Youth Corps members who ran into the custody of some policemen. The policemen shot in the air to scare away the rebels who were coming with their knives and machetes, but when they ran out of bullets, these rebels went in and eliminated all the Youth Corps members!

This is a place where we are supposed to have a governor! If the police could shoot in the air to avoid wasting human lives, why couldn’t these rebels act human for once and spare those Youth Corps members? We just can’t continue to massage people’s ego because they come from the North. Something has to be done! I call on President Goodluck Jonathan to show us that courage has a presence. If Nigeria continues this way, we’ll end up going our separate ways. We should stop talking about zoning because as a matter of fact, it irritates the mind and gets educated and intelligent people irritated. You can’t make a nincompoop the president of a nation, all in the name of zoning! Give us somebody who is qualified!

For me, I won’t say they should erase NYSC, but the truth is that we can’t be pretending all’s well with the posting when we know there’s so much hatred in some parts of the country.

My recommendation is that Youth Corps members should be posted to their own geopolitical zone. For example, those from Imo State should be sent to Anambra State, those from Bauchi should be sent to Zamfara.

We can’t keep allowing the elimination of children who are being groomed to take over the future. Until these fanatics are able to accept other religions and people into their midst, let us continue to send their own people to them. It’s however sad that the essence of Youth Corps is being defeated.

Why NYSC members’ allowances were hiked

Why NYSC members’ allowances were hiked
By Tayo Owolabi and Damilola Makanjuola, Abuja
15/07/2011

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday explained why he approved the upward review of corps members allowances from N9,700 to N19,800.
Jonathan spoke through his "Facebook" page.
He said the corps members sowed a sacrificial seed for the greatness of Nigeria during the April elections, adding that government cannot expect the youth to give the country their best without the government reciprocating such a kind gesture.
The President said: "Our youth corps members have sowed a sacrificial seed for the greatness of Nigeria by being there when Nigeria needs them most especially in service to the mostneedy Nigerians and we cannot expect our youth to give us their best without Nigeria giving them her best.
"This is why I approved the upward review of youth corps’ wages from N9,700 to N19,800."

Nigeria: NYSC Must Serve Its Purpose - Minister

Nigeria: NYSC Must Serve Its Purpose - Minister

Maureen Onochie
13 July 2011


The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) must be positioned to serve the purpose which Nigeria expects it to serve, new Minister of Youth and Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said yesterday.

Speaking while responding to questions from journalists in his office in Abuja, Abdullahi said the scheme will be looked at and made to serve the purpose of contemporary challenges which Nigeria faces.



"We are going to look at NYSC and we are going to make sure that at the end of the day, it serves the purpose of contemporary challenges that Nigeria face," he said.

He said the recent increment made on the allowance for the corps members shows the importance of the scheme to the country hence "if the institution that takes almost 90% of the ministry's budget is that important, then we need to ask ourselves how do we get value for the investment to bring benefits to the country and to the individuals participating in the scheme and their families and as well, ensure their security."

Abdullahi said he would explore every opportunity that would give jobs to the youths and stop the importation of artisans to the country as part of President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda.

On youth development centres nationwide, he said they would be reviewed, adding that the ones which were started would be completed.

According to him, "there is no way we are going to stay here in Abuja and be able to run the development centres in the states. We must have a network with all the states and civil societies to ensure that we are all working on the same goal and focus."

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Alh. Umar Farouk pledged the support of all staff to ensure that the new mandate is achieved.

NYSC redeploys corps members as attack heightens in Borno

NYSC redeploys corps members as attack heightens in Borno
By Ifedayo Adebayo
July 14, 2011

The national secretariat of National Youth Service Corps announced on Wednesday that it was planning massive redeployment of corps members serving in Borno State as a result of the current security challenges in the area.

The NYSC director general, Maharazu Tsiga, made the announcement in Maiduguri while briefing reporters on the latest development in the state, stating that "the NYSC will not hesitate to relocate corps members from states where there is no security for them.

"Borno is not an exception. We have decided to relocate all those in the camp and others already serving from the state," Mr Tsiga said.

He said that the relocation would be limited to those willing to leave the state, but "those who wish to stay behind will not be affected by the relocation, because we do not want a repeat of what happened in Bauchi last year, where massive relocation led to protest. Married women, nursing mothers and those who are sick will also be left out if they wish."

However, claiming that no corps member would be relocated to his state of origin in the exercise, Mr Tsiga said the practice was against the NYSC code and "we are going to decide which part of the country to relocate the corps members, because no member will be allowed to serve in his state of origin."

The NYSC boss denounced a media report indicating that there was a bomb blast at the Borno NYSC Camp on Tuesday, saying it was untrue.

"The story indicating that three corps members died after an explosion in the camp is not only untrue, but unfortunate. Media men should strive hard to make peace and not try to create problems," he said.

He also expressed shock over some text messages indicating that the NYSC camp in Jigawa was on fire.

Meanwhile, in another attack, suspected members of the Boko Haram sect on Wednesday detonated a bomb outside the residence of late Borno state former governor, Mala Kachalla. Military spokesperson, Victor Ebhaleme ,said that the blast did not hurt anyone.

Mr Kachalla died in 2007, but his family still resides at his house in Maiduguri.

Prior to the recent attack, Boko Haram struck in the Borno state capital on Tuesday evening, killing three people riding in a van close to a military checkpoint.

Commander of the Joint Military Taskforce, Jack Nwachukwu Nwaogbo, a major general, said an explosive went off under the van as its driver slowed down at a military and police checkpoint in the metropolis. The blast killed the driver and two passengers.

The University of Maiduguri yesterday announced that it was shutting down indefinitely over threat letters it received purportedly from the group.

University spokesperson, Ahmed Mohammed, said that the institution could no longer guarantee the safety of its students and that the university would not be held responsible should anything happen to any student.

In a June 12 handbill attributed to Boko Haram, the group asked for the prosecution of some former governors, which it blamed for the 2009 death of its leader. The source of the leaflet could not be ascertained.

Meanwhile, committee of Borno elders and leaders of thought have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the withdrawal of all soldiers deployed to the streets of Maiduguri, arguing that the soldiers have failed to address the security situation perpetrated by the Islamic sect; but instead have only succeeded in burning down houses and cars, killing innocent people and harassing passers-by since their deployment to the state.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday fixed July 19 for taking the plea of five police officers accused of unlawfully killing the late leader of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf.

Those charged to undergo the trial are J.B. Abang, Akeera, and Madu Buba, all assistant commissioners of police; Mohammed Ahmadu, a chief superintendent of police, and Adamu Gado, a sergeant.

FG set to improve NYSC scheme

FG set to improve NYSC scheme
07/13/2011


The Federal Government has reiterated its resolve to restructure the National Youth Service Scheme to meet the challenges for which the service was set up and in prevailing economic situation in the country.
President Goodluck Jonathan stated this yesterday at the NYSC camp in Ikot Itie Udung during the official inauguration of the Batch B corps members deployed to Akwa Ibom State for the 2011 service year stressing government intention was aimed at rendering the NYSC scheme more functional, efficient and effective.

Represented by the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Nsima Ekere, he called on the members of the NYSC to take part in all the activities and programmes at the camp while charging local governments and host communities as well as corps’ employers to ensure the safety of the corps members in their domain.
Mr. Ekere, who also inspected some projects completed by the state government in the camp urged the newly sworn-in corps members to regard Akwa Ibom as their home and exhibit high sense of discipline throughout their service year.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of NYSC Board, Chief Linus Okom,
commended the Akwa Ibom State Government for the rehabilitation of
facilities at the NYSC camp.

He expressed delight with the cordial relationship existing between
the NYSC and the State Government which has facilitated the smooth
operation of the scheme in the State.
The Chairman announced the upward review of the allowances of the corps’ members to N19,000 to enhance their productivity.

On her part, the State NYSC Board Chairman and Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mrs. Roseline Ekwere, affirmed that the long years of existence of the NYSC scheme has contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the State through its community development projects.

The State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mr. Aniefiok Okpongette, while announcing that a total of 2020 corps members were deployed to the State for the Batch B 2011 said 1,210 were male and 810 female and attributed the delay in the inauguration to the Army Day celebration held last Wednesday in the state.

By Charles Effiong, Uyo

Corps Members to Receive N19,800 Monthly

Corps Members to Receive N19,800 Monthly

Victoria Ojeme
11 July 2011


Abuja — The Federal Government has approved an increment in the monthly allowance of Corps members from N9,775 to N19,800.

The increment was conveyed in a letter from the Presidency to the Office of the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and sent to all state Coordinators of the NYSC.

Tsiga who spoke to newsmen, Monday, in Abuja said "I am delighted to inform you that The President and Commander-in- Chief, Goodluck Jonathan has graciously approved increment in the Corps members allowances from N9,775.00 to N19,800.00 with effect from March,2011.

" The payment will take effect from March, 2011â-' and the 2010 Batch 'B' Corps members that have just passed out from the scheme will therefore be paid in arrears" he said.

"They are serving their fatherland, we are posting them to states outside their state of origin, nobody gives them anything except the allowances and it has been stipulated in the law establishing the NYSC that the Federal, States, Local Government and other stakeholders should periodically review the allowances of the corps members", he said.

He called on states and local governments to emulate the gesture of the Federal Government and improve on the allowances, accommodation and other welfare of the corps members as according to him," the future of the country are in their hands".

It is time to scrap the NYSC programme

It is time to scrap the NYSC programme
By Ikhide R. Ikheloa
July 9, 2011

The Nigerian National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme should be scraped. It would be a great way to honour the souls of the brave youth corps members who were brutally murdered in Northern Nigeria during the recently concluded elections. Judging by the NYSC's disgraceful looking website, those young souls have been forgotten. Please go to the awful website (http://www.nysc.gov.ng). There is no mention of that horrid episode in our country's history, not one mention.

The last news posted there was from 2009. The website features broken links and ancient information. It alleges that one Brigadier General Maharazu Ismaila Tsiga is the Director-General and Chief Executive of the scheme, but there is no way of confirming this; no Nigerian government website that I know of provides useful, usable information. If he is the Director-General, shame on him for running a shoddy programme, at least on the Internet.

The website has a search function and an alleged mail function for its staff members; try to use either and they laugh uproariously at you until they end up gasping in broken links. I was unable to download the only document on the site (‘The NYSC Decree'); I got an intriguing message announcing that the file is corrupted and cannot be repaired. Nigeria is not a serious country. Only in Nigeria can a programme that targets today's youth be so analogue.

The NYSC should be scrapped. If it is to continue (as perhaps the only source of income these unfortunate youth will ever get from my generation of thieving leaders) then members should be posted to their states of origin. It might force some of my ajebutter cousins to finally go see Papalolo in our village. Many of them can drive around Dubai blindfolded but cannot spell Ewu our hometown. There is the issue of equity; ever since the scheme was launched, Nigerians of means have always found ways to manipulate the postings to their children's advantage. These days, their offspring do not even smell those dishevelled campuses where children of the poor play at being "undergraduates." They are all abroad studying in real universities. Our leaders should be shot.

I performed my NYSC obligation decades ago in a place called Kagoro in Kaduna State simply because we could not find anyone in our vast extended family that knew someone that could post me to my father's compound. We were shuttled into a boarding school in Malali Village in Kaduna for our "orientation" where hung-over semi-literate soldiers took turns berating us for marching with two left feet. I had a wonderful time, I will not lie. I remember being paid a lot of money and not knowing what to do with the leftovers after the drinking. We got N90 bicycle allowance (actually Gulder beer allowance) and then they paid us N180 a month as graduate corps member. I taught at Kagoro Government Secondary School, Kagoro, a stone's throw from Kafanchan, the famous railway hub. I am sure those ancient trains are still loitering around that place.

I learnt a lot and I fell in love with the Hausa language. We made lots of friends and we were treated extremely well. I encountered discrimination once due to my ethnicity. I had gone to eat pounded yam in Kafanchan with two colleagues from Oduduwaland. When we got there the proprietor took one look at me and declared me to be "awon omo kobokobo" - a pejorative for an Igbo person. My friends, knowing that I understood Yoruba, quite gently tried to help by suggesting to her that I was an Omo Bendel. She shook her head and declared "Okan naa niwon" - "they are all the same!"

It is clear from reading the dated information on the NYSC website that not much has changed in terms of the vision and objectives of the program. In the absence of accountability, the NYSC programme has become an unsupervised afterthought for warehousing the dispossessed who just graduated from being mis-educated in Nigeria's institutions of "higher learning." It is time to stop the charade.

Nigeria's leaders do not listen to anything that does not have loot and money attached to it. Their nonchalance won't stop me from complaining. At the minimum, I would like to see the NYSC website taken down immediately and a competition started for the best designed website. The first thing they need to do is to put up a memorial of names and faces of all the brave corpers that fell in the line of duty this year. So we may never forget.

And they should take down the pathetic photograph of Brigadier General Tsiga the Director-General and replace it with something more pleasing to the eye. From my Kagoro experience, there is a core group of youth corps members out there that can put together a brilliant, sexy, content-rich website. We should dedicate them to revamping the website as "their community development." They are always on Facebook anyway. The Internet is their community, these digital natives. Ajuwaya!

Insecurity: NYSC changes redeployment rules again

Insecurity: NYSC changes redeployment rules again
Posted by Obanor Chukwuwezam
July 7, 20011

The National Youth Service Corps has re-introduced guidelines for reposting of prospective corps members desirous of changing their postings.
This was obviously in response to the deluge of requests for redeployment by corps members posted to some northern states. The guidelines, which were earlier suspended in response to the post-election violence that led to the death of 14 corps members in Bauchi State, were re-introduced to curb abuse.
A memo from the office of the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Maharazu Tsiga, which was sighted by our correspondent in Abuja, on Wednesday reads in part, “In the light of the security uncertainty in Bauchi State, management saw with corps members and waved all due process to expedite action on relocation.”
He, however, expressed dismay that this course of action appeared to have encouraged corps members from all states of the federation, including the FCT, to besiege the national headquarters seeking relocation for the flimsiest reasons.
This, he said, had had an adverse effect on the conduct of official business. The memo states, “In view of the above, corps members are to note and adhere strictly to the following:
“Applications for relocation are to be channeled through the state and FCT coordinators. The corps members who already find themselves in the premises of the National Directorate Headquarters may submit their applications at the Director-General’s office and return to their states and wait for the reply.


“All approvals for relocation will be forwarded to the affected corps members through their state coordinators.
“Therefore, corps members who have submitted their applications for relocation at the DG’s office are to go back to their respective states of service and not wait or hang around in the expectation of personally collecting approval.”
A separate memo pasted on walls within the NYSC headquarters also reads: “All prospective Corps members must proceed to their respective camps immediately. “Relocation matters will be handled through the established procedure from their states of deployment.”
Our correspondent also gathered that the management of the scheme took into account the Bauchi experience in posting corps members to the state.
While some states like Lagos and Kano are having close to, if not more than 2,000 corps members, Bauchi was given about 615. Most of those posted to the state requested to be posted on account of marriage or on health grounds.
The authorities of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akunba Akoko, Ondo State had asked the NYSC not to post any of its graduates to northern Nigeria, citing security concerns.
SOURCE: PUNCH

Kill NYSC, snuff life out of Nigeria

Kill NYSC, snuff life out of Nigeria
Maikudi Abubakar Zukogi, mandzukogisawaba@yahoo.com, 0802-726-7563

Everyone who has truly served the mandatory one year NYSC scheme will be generous enough to admit its efficacy as a tool for national integration. Coming, as it were, on the heels of the three years bloody civil war, which almost tore the country apart, the scheme was conceived to provide young Nigerians with the opportunity to explore the beauty and diversity of the different cultures which make up the country. This was part of the larger scheme of the process of national healing, reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
After almost thirty eight years, the scheme may not have achieved all of its objectives, but it will be immodest of us to dismiss the NYSC as a total failure. Like every other institution in the country, the scheme has had its high and low points, and also not immune to inconsistencies and policy somersaults characteristic of our governments over the years. But if truth be told, NYSC has been able to weather the storm in spite of the increasing population of potential corps members and perennially incapacitating logistic challenges. Just a fortnight ago, Brigadier Maharazu Tsiga, the Director General of NYSC, reported at the Pre-mobilization retreat in Kaduna that the scheme is going to admit into the now ongoing 2011 Batch B camp the largest number of corps members in the thirty eight years history of its existence. The implication of this revelation is that NYSC will be stretched beyond imagination to be able to accommodate these desperate graduates.
You will then wonder what the Federal government will do with over a hundred thousand desperate youths at a time if it succumbs to the mounting pressure of ill-advised calls for the cancellation of the scheme. We seemed to down play the relevance of critical institutions in our country and this is contributing to our down ward slide in the desired progress and development. No nation in the world progresses without strengthening its relevant critical institutions. A country that lacks clearly spelt out employment policy for its explosive unemployed population is thinking of not strengthening but sacking the only institution in the country that provides a passage between graduation and sojourn into the volatile and uncertain labour market. Events of the recent past such as communal strives, riots, bomb explosions and the post election crises which claimed the lives of so many innocent serving corps members sure poses soul searching questions about whether such sacrifices are worth taking for a country that treats the life and security of its citizens with levity. For the parents and loved ones of those who got caught up in these unfortunate incidences, this is a legitimate and inviolable demand. For hundreds who died natural deaths at their places of assignment and those who succumbed to the fury and gluttony of our insatiable roads, who speaks for them or what will be the demand of their parents? For each of this group, no sacrifice shall be too great to make to this nation that we all love to call our own for the asking. In spite of the pain, the frustration and the pervading uncertainty, let’s say YES today to Nigeria, and our collective yeses will go a long way in getting the country back to the path of regeneration and renewal.
Yours sincerely, as were several million Nigerians, served in the one year mandatory NYSC scheme. What a wonderful and memorable experience that was! Perhaps the only time you can claim to hold a licence as a Nigerian is when you have gone and served in the NYSC scheme. And I can say with all sense of modesty as other Nigerians like me that NYSC made me a Nigerian. The one year call to service took me to Rivers State, the garden city, one of cities, sorry the geese that lays the golden egg for Nigeria. How can I ever miss the opportunity, even as a twenty two year old, to travel to see for myself this goose that lays the golden eggs? What on earth will stop one from going to see a city that is laced with gardens, or even to have a glimpse of the man who wrote A Forest of flowers? And about this time in Rivers State, it was not Mujahid Asari Dokubo, Ateke Tom or Tom Polo that gets heard, it was MOSOP and the late venerable writer and environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa. While in Rivers State, the lead song in the camp, water carry them go, caught up with me and took me to my first posting, Ogoloma, a town which then can only be accessed through the water as a result of the ongoing Okrika/Andoni riots. Somehow, I got a new posting to the Port Harcourt office of the Sentinel Magazine located along the Ikwerre Road. As soon as I submitted my posting letter to Ralph Egbu who later became Commissioner of Information and Secretary to the State government of Abia under Uzor Kalu, he just threw a pen and a jotter at me and posted me straight to the Civic Centre where the state government was organising a Peace Carnival; and then to RUST, to NAFCON, Onne and to several other places afterwards, until The Sentinel closed shop unceremoniously. And then off I go again to Edeoha, the fondest of all my NYSC memories. Ula-Opata Community Secondary School was located here. Here in this school, I taught all the grammar, the vocabularies, the essays and compositions that I have ever learnt in school. I also taught Achebe, Elechi Amadi who was their own, being an Ikwerre, and Night Rain; and while there, I was truly like some fish doped out of the deep- many thanks to John Pepper Clark. The only English teacher here was a certain Mr. Uzoma who studied NCE in Geography/ Social Studies. It was a great relief indeed for the school that I arrived. The Principal, Mr CC Olimini, gave me some good advice which I used to live peacefully in Edeoha town; a town which is one of many that constitute the Ekpeye Kingdom. How can I forget Mr. Uzoma Okoro, who accommodated me; Mr. Wilson Wadago who dreamt of coming to live in the North; the Chief Priest, Chief Thankgod Atago, who taught me the culture and tradition of the Ekpeyes; and my amiable student and companion, Okwudiri Nebu, who must have taken a degree or two, and married with lovely children.
I couldn’t have had the opportunity to gain this once in a life time experience about this equally great people and great Nigerians if it were not for NYSC. How then could I be a party to the ill-informed call for the scrapping of NYSC? I stand tall among the rational majority who are saying YES to the reinvigorated and re-engineered NYSC for the greater good of Nigeria.

Should the NYSC Stay Or Be Scrapped?

Should the NYSC Stay Or Be Scrapped?

Faith Olaniran
7 July 2011

opinion
Fut Minna — Since the killing of some corps members during the ethno-religious crisis in Jos in 2009, there have been calls from several quarters for a review of the NYSC. The post election violence, once again brought the issue to the fore, provoking questions about its relevance.

The attack and eventual killing of some corps members who were recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as ad-hoc staff by irate youths protesting the result of the presidential election, the kidnap of five corps members in Rivers State and the alleged rape of a corps member in Osun State, have led to fresh calls for abolition of the scheme which seeks to promote national unity.

While some fancy the idea of reviewing the scheme, a few others are calling for its outright abolition. Students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna Niger State, who were just mobilized into the scheme and have been posted to different parts of the country expressed their views.

Rebecca Ajani, a graduate of Agric Economics posted to Nasarawa feels that the scheme should not be scrapped but Borno State should be excluded from the scheme as was done to Bauchi State. She noted that most youths posted to the Northern states are confused.

Mary Olorunleke read Animal Production and was posted to Plateau State. She said Nigerians should co-operate to keep the vision of the scheme alive. She called on governments of the various states where corps members are posted to provide accommodation and job opportunities for them.

Dolapo Owoeye, a graduate of Biochemistry posted to Ondo State wants the scheme to still be in place but with better security. Owoeye cited the bomb blast at the police headquarters in Abuja asking: "Who will guard the guards at this time?"

Tosan Igbogbo who was posted to Lagos State said the scheme should not be scrapped as she has always looked forward to it. Igbogbo said scrapping the NYSC would be like abolishing a complete educational system. She called on the Federal Government to increase the allowance and tackle security breaches.

Edith Ukpebor, who was posted to Nasarawa said the scheme has not achieved its purpose as youths still go back to the streets seeking jobs because they are not absorbed in their places of primary assignment. Ukpebor said the money used to finance the scheme should be invested in job creation and sustenance of the economy.

Seun Ojelade who read Quantity Surveying and is posted to Delta State said the main concept of the scheme was good but should be scrapped in the interest of national peace.

Godwin Ilalokhoin, a graduate of Electrical Engineering posted to Kwara State said the scheme should be reformed with the introduction of an insurance scheme covering all serving crops members.

Tsiga Takes Over Redeployment of Corps Members

Tsiga Takes Over Redeployment of Corps Members
6 July 2011

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig- Gen. Maharazu Tsiga has personally taken over the redeployment of corps members who rejected their posting to volatile states.

Tsiga, who called the corps members to the conference room at Gowon House in Abuja on Monday, said that anybody who came for redeployment would be attended to.

The batch 'B' NYSC members, who were to resume orientation camp nationwide on Tuesday had besieged the headquarters of the scheme for possible redeployment to other states.

Most of the NYSC members who were seeking for redeployment were either posted to Borno, Jigawa, Bauchi, Imo and Kaduna, among others.

Tsiga, however, asked the corps members to submit their posting letters along with their state of preference for redeployment.

"Those of you who gave me your call up earlier will have to come back at 3 pm and 4 pm today (Monday) respectively while those who had submitted earlier will have to wait for their new posting," he said.

Members of the University of Lagos Parents Forum had called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to prevail on the NYSC not to post their children to areas they described as death zones.

Tinuke Jaiyeola, a corps member, who was posted to Borno State, claimed that she came for redeployment to other state because of the fear of 'Boko Haram'.

Charles Opurul, also a corper, said that he was posted to Taraba but came for redeployment, pointing out that he was too young to die because of the volatile nature of the place.

Joy Lawrence from Edo, who was posted to Imo, equally came to seek redeployment to either Abuja or Nasarawa, saying that the security report she got from Imo was scaring.

95,000 NYSC members were mobilised for the 2011/2012 batch 'B' with the orientation taking place on Tuesday across the nation.

Why NYSC should not be scrapped - Fayemi

Why NYSC should not be scrapped - Fayemi

Written by Sam Nwaoko, Ado-Ekiti
Friday, 08 July 2011

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Thursday, said that the objectives of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which include national unity and integration, were “worthy of tireless pursuit,” saying that “the achievements of the programme have showcased its importance.”

Speaking at the Ekiti NYSC permanent orientation camp in Emure in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of the state at the swearing-in ceremony of 2,574 2011 Batch ‘B’ corps members deployed to the State, Governor Fayemi said “in spite of the challenges that had confronted the scheme, its achievements over the years were numerous and should be commended by all and sundry.”

According to him, “the achievements of the programme have showcased its importance,” and attributed the success of the last general election in the country to “the level of discipline and patriotic contributions of corps members nationwide.”

Fayemi assured that the state government would continue to support the scheme for the betterment of the entire nation.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the NYSC Governing Board in the state, Chief Folorunsho Olabode, who is also the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports had announced the provision of a 300kva transformer for the orientation camp of the NYSC by the state government.

The State Coordinator of NYSC, Ekiti State, Mr. Baba Ahmed said that a total number of 2,574 corps members comprising 1,358 males and 1,216 females were in camp.

Cleric opposes posting of graduates to crisis prone states

Cleric opposes posting of graduates to crisis prone states
JULY 5, 2011

…asks FG not to negotiate with Boko Haram

BY DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE -BISHOP of Akure Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Revd. Michael Ipinmoye, yesterday, threw his weight behind universities opposing the posting of their graduates to crisis prone region of the country for their National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme.

The Bishop also expressed concern over the violent activities of members of Boko Haram sect and asked the Federal Government not to negotiate with the faceless militia group.

The Clergyman implored government to “tackle the security threat posed by Boko Haram instead of negotiating or dialoguing with them.”

He said, “they did not inform Nigeria before they started their act of terrorism, I support those who said the Federal Government should take them head-on, we don’t need to sit down and beg these people. I still want to say that it is high time we stopped using whatever name to terrorise Nigeria. We know where these people come from, because the President did not come from a particular part of the country is not to say that we will not know peace until his last breath.

If we are to dialogue, do we even know them, where do they come from, where do we meet, who is going to be the chairman, who will be their representatives? Whatever the Federal Government can do to stop this menace, let it be done”.

On the NYSC scheme, the Bishop noted that following the recent killing of corps members from the southern part of the country after the Presidential election, graduates from the North should have their one year service in the North, while those from the south should stay in the South.

According to him, “the purpose for which the Federal Government established the scheme has been defeated. The Federal Government and the NYSC should ensure the safety of lives of the young graduates being posted out for the service”.

Robbers kill female corps member in Delta

Robbers kill female corps member in Delta
Posted by Obanor Chukwuwezam

A female youth corps member was, weekend, stabbed to death by armed robbers, at Okpanam, behind a filling station, close to Asaba town, Delta State.
It was learnt that the lady, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, had travelled and ran into the robbers, as she was about opening the door of her apartment. The armed gang, which was operating in the area had accosted her and asked her to surrender her mobile handset and other valuables.
She was said to have been stabbed on the neck following her alleged refusal to yield to the robbers’ demand.
She was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre immediately the robbers left, but gave up the ghost while on the way, following heavy loss of blood.


State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, confirmed the incident, saying, “it is true. We have commenced full-scale investigation into the incident.”
SOURCE: VANGUARD

Will NYSC ever be safe in Nigeria? When will the persecution of Youth corps members stop!!?

Taraba Memoirs (1) – NYSC As A Window Seat Without A Window

Taraba Memoirs (1) – NYSC As A Window Seat Without A Window
Chidozie Nnachor
July 20, 2011

My NYSC journey started 3rd July, 2011. It originally was not my intention to start a memoir of my bid to serve a country that has no atom of interest in my welfare, but on the bus it struck me that I could, for two reasons. First was that since I left the four walls of the university last November, I had not as much as put pen to paper – unless you were to describe the occasional filling of forms (SIM registration for instance) as such. Second was that I felt I now had the opportunity to fulfil my promise to my dear friend and compadre, Chiedozie Okafor, Editor-in-Chief, eagleposts.com. I promised him I will soon rejuvenate my writing career. I only hope I have not been too long off the radar to make this any less of a fulfilment of that promise.

I hurried off to Upper Iweka park in Onitsha after service to make travel arrangements for Wukari, Taraba state. I was not too surprised at being heckled by motor park touts who shouted various destinations. I eventually settled for the offer of a ‘window seat’ by a middle aged man. After supposedly pressing the right buttons, he handed me a ticket with seat number 1. Before accepting the ticket, I quickly did the permutations on my mind and arrived to the conclusion that ticket number 1 had to be a window seat, irrespective of which side of the bus the numbering was started. So, fair enough, the tout deserved a reward which meant I set myself back by N100. Sure enough too, ticket number 1 turned out to be a ‘window seat, in form only’. Before I go on to explain the last sentence, I’d like to call your attention to the popular cliché bandied about by one of my lecturers who jumped at every opportunity to tell us that Naija’s government policies were all ‘good and well-intended in theory, but not in practice’. Alas, ticket number 1 was a ‘window seat in form, but not in substance’ since I do not see much use of a window being called a window if you cannot open it. I was hugely disturbed by the frightening thought of sitting beside a glued-shut window for a 10-hour journey on a hot afternoon. It spoiled my mood and in a bid at aggression transfer, I made up my mind to spoil the conductor’s mood by vehemently refusing to move my luggage from the gangway to allow passengers traveling on ‘attachment’ extra standing space. The quarrel grew almost to the point of both parties putting their fists to good use on each other’s face, yet my usually mouse-spirited bravado did not budge. It is a miracle that the conductor happened to possess a fair dose of self-control as yours truly would be in the hospital had the reverse been the case.

Later though, as I pondered on the journey, it occurred to me that the whole NYSC scheme bore much semblance to the ‘window seat without a functional window theory’ (yes, I coined that). The NYSC was supposed to offer a platform for much needed national integration much like the promise of free fresh air a window seat gives, plus other little pleasures like getting to poke out your head for a better view of the scenery and getting a better bargain from haggling with the countless roadside hawkers that besiege travellers on the highway. The sad story of the NYSC actually starts from the posting stage as the posting is only truly random (after correcting for state of origin) to those without enough money to ‘runs’ it, as many of my friends did. How else do you explain the point-blank accuracy for foretelling the state they will be posted which were predictably places like Lagos, Abuja, Rivers and their ilk that have a proven track record of leniency to Corp Members.. That though is not the real problem. The real problem is that the motive for serving the forced one-year sentence is far from the intended national integration. If there was ever a computer that could read human motive and it is put to use on the current crop of Corp members, be assured that it will generate the same sad result of something like: go over there, do my time whilst staying out of trouble, then come back and continue the rat race that is survival in Naija. Assuming some murdering fanatics don’t do you first, I’ll quickly add (Corp Members in the North take note).

I later found out that it was the driver of the bus who deliberately glued the window as he saw it as an easier solution to fixing the window latch. In NYSC’s case, I honestly do not think the current driver did the gluing, but the lingering question is if he has the patriotism to face the arduous task of ungluing and then fixing the polity? I watched an Indian movie* recently that demonstrated how the perfect solution is more often than not both time consuming and enormously expensive. In the movie, an inquisitive student put-off his lecturer by asking why scientists spent obscene amounts of dollars in developing an astronaut pen when they could have simply produced a pencil at no extra cost at all. On the surface, the simply-produce-a-pencil solution looks both practical and tempting. But then the professor rallied (much later) to explain to the student that a single piece of broken pencil lead floating at zero gravity can single-handedly destroy the whole space expedition. But of course, this is Naija where the Occam’s razor rule is taken quite literally. We spend so much time and resources assiduously treating the symptom whilst the disease is cancerously getting rooted and grounded. That’s why I’m not the least surprised at the incessant calls for the scraping of the NYSC scheme or at least to have each person posted to his/her geographical area. Yes, it will save lives, but only in the short term as the festering wound of disunity in the country will provide new reasons for the heads to start rolling once again, faster than we can say N-Y-S-C.

Chidozie Nnachor

Ondo university opposes posting of students to northern states

Ondo university opposes posting of students to northern states
By Ayodeji Moradeyo
July 1, 2011



The management of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko in Ondo State, yesterday expressed displeasure over the one-year national youth service posting of some of its students to northern states which it said were ‘violence prone’.

The Ondo State-owned institution, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Sola Imoru, said it is still traumatised by the death of one of its alumni, Kehinde Jehleel Adeniji, who was killed during the violence that trailed the April 16 presidential election in Bauchi State

Mr Imoru said a situation where some of the students were still posted to these states without sufficient guarantee for their safety by the authority of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in defiance of the University and other Nigerians’ calls for a bold review of the scheme, is unacceptable.

“In a nation where some youths in some parts of the country gather to fight the nation in the name of Boko Haram, posting educated youths to these states amounts to leading them to the slaughter slab,” the university said. “Less than 24 hours after Adekunle Ajasin University handed over call-up letters to its graduates for mobilisation into the compulsory national youth service, it was inundated and continues to be inundated with calls,
visits and e-mails by parents and guardians, protesting the posting of their children and wards to states labelled as flash points of violence in the country.”

The university official said the Adekunle Ajasin University identifies with the fears and anxiety of recent graduates and their parents.

Address the cause of violence

The institution also said it is of the view that no responsible government should allow students to be posted to states where they will be exposed to danger, adding that, “the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says the security and welfare of the people shall be the main purpose of government.”

It, therefore, requested that its graduates posted to northern states where there was violence should be deployed to other states in order to assuage the anxiety of their parents. “While the University believes in the principles underlying the establishment of the NYSC, it is of the opinion that, in the interim, graduating students should serve in their geopolitical zones until the Federal Government is able to effectively address the huge security challenges presently besetting the country,” Mr Imoru said in the statement.

The statement also called for a review of the posting decisions. “The Federal Government should therefore immediately put necessary measures in place to enlighten the Boko Haram sect, get them to toe the line of decency and guarantee the security of the people before returning the NYSC to its status quo.”

Robbers kill 2 corps members, 3 others in Ogun • Kwara CAN harps on reviewing NYSC scheme

Robbers kill 2 corps members, 3 others in Ogun • Kwara CAN harps on reviewing NYSC scheme

Olayinka Olukoya and Biola Azeez
Thursday, 30 June 2011

ROBBERS, on Wednesday, struck at a branch of a first generation bank in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, killing two members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) during their operation.

Also, they attacked a petrol station in Papalanto area of the state and allegedly killed three persons.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the bandits, numbering 18, arrived the bank at about 4.00 p.m in an unmarked Toyota Hummer bus and blew off the bank’s security door with dynamite.

The robbers were said to have shot sporadically into the air, leaving several people to scamper for safety, while some others were injured in the process. The bandits allegedly held members of staff and customers hostage for several minutes and later carted away millions of naira from the bank.

The identities of the victims could not be ascertained on Wednesday, but the Nigerian Tribune learnt that one of the deceased corps members was working at the bank, while the other came on a visit.

Those injured during the robbery were said to have been taken to a General Hospital, Itori, for medical attention. Efforts to confirm the incident from the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, were unsuccessful, as his mobile line was not reachable.

Meanwhile, The Kwara State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Federal Government to review the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The state chairman of CAN, Reverend James Folaranmi, who made the call in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Ilorin, on Wednesday, said the review should be tailored towards ensuring safety of the corps members wherever they were posted.

He regretted the kidnapping and killing of corps members, describing the development as sad and unfortunate.

The cleric, who also condemned the spate of bomb blasts in some parts of the country, charged the security agencies to bring to book the perpetrators.

He decried the activities of Boko Haram and kidnapping of innocent Nigerians by some miscreants in the Niger Delta area, tracing the root of kidnapping, assassination and bomb blasts that have pervaded the country to activities of “enemies of progress who do not believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria but hiding under politics and religion to make life difficult for the citizenry.”

Folaranmi lamented that after Nigeria’s 50 years of independence, “Nigerians still live in fears because of a few people who are hell-bent on imposing their ideology on the majority of Nigeria, citizens.”

While urging Nigerians to have faith in the ability of President Goodluck Jonathan to transform the country and bring to an end the various violent crimes being perpetrated in some parts of the country, the cleric said what the president needed most to surmount the problem was cooperation of the citizens.