HURIWA lauds NYSC efforts at protecting corps members from terrorists

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has applauded the decision of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management to partner with the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the police to provide foolproof security to corps members.

HURIWA has also commended the Federal Executive Council for excluding hotspots and flashpoints of terrorism from areas where corps members are deployed to serve under the NYSC scheme.

In a statement by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, National Coordinator, HURIWA said the move to secure the lives of corps members is critical to the continuous relevance of the NYSC.

According to him, the NYSC, as a national institution, plays a pivotal and critical role in fostering integration and patriotism among the youths of Nigeria.

“It is therefore heartwarming that the management is doing all that they can to put in place measures to ensure the safety, well-being, and welfare of the corps members.”

HURIWA recalled that the Sokoto State Coordinator of the NYSC, Alhaji Usman Yakubu Yaro, had disclosed that the service is in touch with the Nigerian Military, the DSS, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other critical stakeholders to guarantee the safety of corps members deployed to the state for the 2024 Batch ‘B’ stream 1 orientation exercise.

Usman made the disclosure yesterday in his office while briefing journalists in preparation for the 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1 orientation exercise, stressing that arrangements have been concluded to ensure the safety and security of corps members posted to the state.

He explained that the service had written to the various sister security agencies, asking them for security along all the routes that corps members use to reach their various camps.

While welcoming the disclosure about the continuous improvement in the quality of security and safety provided to the participants of the NYSC as disclosed by the official of the scheme, HURIWA stated that minimizing the occurrences of security challenges and threats to the corps members is key to the continuous support by a greater number of Nigerians for the NYSC.

It also applauded the decision of the federal government to safeguard the lives of corps members by stopping the posting of NYSC participants to dangerous and terrorist-infested places for their national youth service.