October 12, (THEWILL) – The abduction of 20 prospective corps members has once again raised the vital question about the aims and objectives of the National Youth Service Scheme, NYSC, in modern-day Nigeria. With corps members seemingly becoming targets of kidnappers amid worsened insecurity in the land, it is high time the Federal Government took a second look at the call of stakeholders, mostly parents, for the need to rejig the scheme in line with modern-day realities.
The Federal Government set up the scheme in 1973 to foster cultural diversity, patriotism driven by shared values and orientation, as well as solidarity that breeds mutual trust, especially among a nubile and virile population still burning with generational zeal.
In fact, the public claim that corps members have become targets of kidnappers may not be too far-fetched considering recent developments.
The 20 prospective victims were travelling in two separate buses, for instance. And immediately after their abduction, the kidnappers got in touch with their parents and kept negotiating the ransom from billions to millions of Naira. The abduction reportedly took place 36 days after 15 corps members were abducted in Ofu in Kogi State and later rescued. In May, a corps member, Eunice Amah, was kidnapped alongside an Abuja lawyer but later regained her freedom after ransom was paid.
Indeed, reports say 80 corps members were abducted between 2013 and 2023, while 20 others were killed between 2015 and 2026. Amazingly, details of the circumstances surrounding their release are always shrouded in misery.
The reports about the latest 20 are the same. The controversy surrounding their release is enough to kill the scheme completely. While the police said the victims were treated at a medical facility after their release, the same police disclosed that their abductors are still at large! Parents released details of how they contributed N6m each and paid ransom to the kidnappers; the Imo State government said it was unaware of such transactions. Now, the NYSC is a government scheme. If it could be subjected to this lowlight, then it is time for the government to heed the plea of parents and stakeholders to rejig the operations, while retaining the objective.
Anyway, modern-day realities do not justify the lofty ideals for which the scheme was conceived. Evidence of this line of reasoning abounds in the high level of corruption, mutual distrust among the diverse and multi-ethnic nationalities, and sectarian violence that continues to shake the foundations of the country. These social and political failures are the result of governance failure, failed leadership and institutional decay. All of which stand in direct proportion to the aims and objectives of the NYSC.
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This is not to call for the scrapping of the scheme as some pundits have argued, but to ask for a rethink in the face of modern -day realities.
Rescheduled long-distance posting, for instance, will sit well with most parents and stakeholders. This could be an interim measure until such a time that the security situation has improved to warrant some measure of free movement across the country.
Parents have long called for the adoption of this measure, but unfortunately, the government has obstinately objected, thereby putting their wards in harm’s way. Parents and the youngsters as prospective corps members stand in one generational link which may be impacted emotionally and psychologically beyond repair if they lose faith in the country because of the insensitivity of leaders to their plight.
Another consideration is to provide security to corps members throughout their service year so that their official movements are closely monitored for emergencies.
If the government, however, chooses to continue with the long-distance posting of corps members, then it must provide for their movements by flight. Service to the country must not be done under duress or clear danger at any price.
