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”.