Nigeria fit to mobilize youth service members for war - NYSC Oga

Di Director General of di National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim don argue say di NYSC scheme don dey important now pass before.

Oga Shuaibu Ibrahim tok dis one on top Channels Television Sunrise Daily programme as e dey react to talks by di NIgeria House of Representatives to scrap di NYSC scheme wey dey compulsory for all Nigerians wey graduate from tertiary institutions before di age of 30.

Some pipo don argue say di scheme no too hold value again sake of di rising cases of insecurity for di kontri, di huge amount of money and resources wey dey go into di programme, fears by parents, plus oda factors.

But di NYSC DG tok say if di scheme no dey tins for worse pass as e dey plus di issue of insecurity no be enough reason to scrap di scheme.

E say corps members na part of di national defence policy of Nigeria and dem fit dey mobilised for war.

E add join say dem dey gallant as dem don receive plenty drillings and trainings during their three weeks for orientation camps.

"Corps members dey on reserve. Dem be part of di national defence policy of dis kontri. So where serious war dey, our corps members dey educated, dem get knowledge and dem dey trained, you see di drill…"

"You fit imagine, within three weeks for orientation camps, di corps members don dey moulded. Dey be like soldiers. You go see female corps members dey blow army horn, dey play wit di military band."

House of Reps wan scrap NYSC?

Di bill to scrap di National Youth Service Corps don reach di second reading for di House of Representatives.

Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, wey dey represent Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency na im sponsor di bill to scrap di scheme as im cite insecurity palava for di kontri as di reason.

Inside di bill im tok say: "Incessant killing of innocent corps members for some parts of di kontri sake of banditry, religious extremism and ethnic violence; incessant kidnapping of innocent corps members across di country;

"Public and private agencies/departments no longer dey able to recruit able and qualified Nigerian youths, as dem dey rely heavily on di availability of corps members who are not being well remunerated and dem go discard dem wit impunity at di end of dia service year without any hope to employ dem;

"Due to insecurity across di kontri, di National Youth Service Corps management now give considerations to posting corps members to dia geopolitical zone, and dis dey defeat one of di objectives of setting up di service corps, i.e. developing common ties among di Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration."

Oda security measures NYSC don take

Di Director General say NYSC dey concerned about di security of corps members dat na why dem dey advised make dem no dey waka for night.

Im add say corps members don dey advised make dem no travel afta 6pm as dem dey free to sleep for any corpers lodge wen dem dey travel.

Oga Ibrahim say im dey propose National Youth Trust Fund from Federal goment where corps members fit get loans to start business afta dem complete di compulsory programme.

Ibrahim say di scheme don raise national unity and structure, e add say many corps members don find love for various orientation camps and don marry each oda.

"Plenty inter-marriages don happun for NYSC. For most of our females, di history of their marriages fit dey traced to their service year because dem meet their fiancées during their service year. I don get opportunities to attend such weddings and NYSC dey support such weddings," e tok.

Wetin NYSC dey about?

Di Nation Youth Service Corp na one year service scheme wey dey mandatory for graduates of Nigeria tertiary institutions wey dey under di age of 30.

Statutorily under di scheme, young graduates from di kontri southern region go get posting to di Northern region and vice versa.

Dem go receive three weeks compulsory para-military training before dem go post dem to schools, hospitals, banks and other private and public establishments.

So far, insecurity palava for di kontri don also affect di scheme as report of cases of Corp members wey kidnapping and banditry threats don affect dey on di rise.

Wetin go happun to di bill to scrap NYSC?

E no dey clear, as di bill just only pass di first reading.

For any bill to become law, for Nigeria e go need scale through three readings for di house, and e go go through committee reading.

Dem go later pass am to di upper legislative house, di senate wey go agree to di bill before di kontri President finally assent or sign am into law.

Dis no be di first time wey debates online and offline don come up on whether di programme still dey relevant to integrate Nigerian youths in di face of insecurity palava and other issues.