The National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) has dismissed speculations that it may deploy corp members to Niger Republic for military intervention.
NYSC issued a statement in reaction to rumours that circulated online suggesting that the scheme will mobilise members in the event of a war.
The rumour came about as a result of an resurfaced video of its Director-General Brig.Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim saying corps members are part of the national defence policy of the country.
But in a statement by Director, Press and Public Relations Eddy Megwa, NYSC stated that there is no iota of truth in the story. The scheme said the story must have been fabricated by the purveyor, a skit and content creator, purposely to drive traffic to his platform.
The statement read in part; “The general public, especially corps members, prospective corps members and their parents, should disregard the story, which borders on criminality in its entirety.
“Content and skit makers are strongly advised to desist from spreading false information capable of subverting the peace of the nation. Law enforcement agencies will stop at nothing to bring the purveyors of the story to justice.”
Meanwhile, in the viral clip that necessitated the statement, the NYSC DG said in June 2021 that serving NYSC members can be mobilised for war if need be.
He said; “Corps members are on reserve. They are part of the national defence policy of this country. So, where there is serious war, our corps members are educated, they are knowledgeable and they can be trained. You see the drill and so on.
“You can imagine within the short three weeks in the orientation camps, the corps members are moulded. They are like soldiers. You see female corps members blowing the army horn, playing with the military band.
“So, if not for the knowledge, where are you going to mobilise such young Nigerians to train them quickly to put in their best for the country? So, corps members are on reserve. They are also part of the national defence policy.”
