By Abubakar Yunusa
The Founder of the Onono Onimisi Foundation, Onono Onimisi, has called on the Federal Government to suspend or fundamentally restructure the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC ),scheme over worsening insecurity in the country.
Onimisi, a young girls’ education advocate, made the call in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, warning that the current security situation has made the scheme unsafe for young graduates.
She said the government must act decisively to protect corps members, stressing that continuing with the programme without guaranteeing their safety was irresponsible.
According to her, the NYSC scheme in its present form has become outdated in a country battling kidnappings, banditry and terrorism.
“The NYSC scheme should be suspended or fundamentally restructured until Nigeria becomes safe enough for such a programme to operate without putting young people at risk,” she said.
She cited the recent case of Abba, a corps member who was reportedly kidnapped and tortured while travelling home after completing his national service.
Onimisi described the incident as a stark warning about the growing dangers facing corps members across the country.
“Because if Abba could become a victim today, we do not know who the next victim might be tomorrow. A nation that cannot protect its youth has no moral justification to keep placing them in danger,” she added.
She noted that every year thousands of graduates are posted to unfamiliar states and forced to travel through roads widely considered unsafe.
The education advocate maintained that while the intention of the NYSC scheme was national unity, the reality on ground now exposes young Nigerians to serious risks.
“Suspending the scheme is not an attack on national unity; it is a call for responsibility and reform,” she said.
Onimisi insisted that the government must reconsider the programme, arguing that no national initiative should come at the cost of the safety and dignity of young citizens.
“Young Nigerians are not expendable. They are the future of this country,” she added.
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