Founder of the Onono Onimisi Foundation, Onono Onimisi, has called on the federal government to suspend or significantly reform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme due to rising insecurity across Nigeria.
In a statement released over the weekend in Abuja, the girls’ education advocate warned that the current security situation has made the programme increasingly unsafe for young graduates.
Onimisi urged the government to take decisive action to safeguard corps members, stressing that continuing the scheme without ensuring their protection is irresponsible.
She argued that the NYSC programme, in its current structure, has become outdated in a country grappling with widespread kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism.
According to her, the scheme should either be temporarily suspended or comprehensively restructured until Nigeria becomes secure enough for such a national programme to operate without exposing young people to danger.
She referenced the recent case of a corps member identified as Abba, who was reportedly kidnapped and tortured while travelling home after completing his national service.
Onimisi described the incident as a serious warning about the increasing risks faced by corps members across the country.
She added that if one corps member could fall victim today, it raises concerns about who might be next, noting that a nation unable to guarantee the safety of its youth should reconsider policies that place them in harm’s way.
The education advocate also pointed out that thousands of graduates are posted annually to unfamiliar states, often requiring them to travel on roads widely regarded as unsafe.
While acknowledging that the NYSC scheme was originally designed to promote national unity and integration, she said the current reality exposes young Nigerians to significant security threats.
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