Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen Yushau Ahmed, has revealed that three out of the eight corps members who were kidnapped in Zamfara state, managed to escape and are back home safely.
The NYSC boss made this known on Thursday during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Youths.
Ahmed said one of the corpers who was shot by the bandits and subsequently released is receiving medical treatment and recuperating.
Earlier, the committee chairman, Martins Esin, expressed concern over the abduction of the corps membera and sought an update.
The DG, while responding, shared his optimism that the collective efforts of the security agencies would lead to a resolution of the situation in a short time.
He added that the challenge being faced by the relevant authorities in getting the abductees released was information which they were trying to improve upon.
He said; “Once information is available, we can quickly address the situation.
“The synergy between the security agencies would work things out in a short time “Once information is out we will have a seamless situation”.
Ahmed also responsed to a question from Hon Clement Jimboh (Akwa Ibom) on the need to provide buses for corps members for security reasons, saying; “On the issue of NYSC providing buses might not be possible. It would be subject to budgetary allocation. We will get there as more proactive measures will be put in place.”
As part of the effort of the Federal Government to improve the welfare of corpers, the DG affirmed that an increase in their allowances is being worked out which will come to fruition when the new minimum wage is announced.
He called for the cooperation of the National Assembly for the NYSC Trust Fund which will enable the scheme to empower corps members after the compulsory one year national service.
The committee enjoined the NYSC management to visit families of corps members to empathise with them and assured them of government’s commitment to getting their children out of bandits’ den.
