Navigating the Crossroads: Calls for Reform or Abolition of the NYSC Programme.

By

Abidoye Florence A. H/22/Mac/0029

Department of Mass Communication

The Polytechnic Ile-Ife, Osun State

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, inaugurated in 1973 to foster national unity post-civil war, faces heightened scrutiny due to a series of abductions, deaths, and security lapses. Recent incidents, such as the abduction of eight NYSC members in Akwa Ibom, underscore the escalating dangers faced by participants, prompting widespread calls for reform or abolition.

Tragic occurrences, from the murder of Miss Joel Grace Chalya in Kaduna to the stabbing of Gideon Bitrus Gijuwa in Abuja, highlight a distressingly familiar narrative of peril within the NYSC program. The toll on young lives is unbearable, with incidents like the motor accident in Calabar and the killing of Eunice Igweike casting a bleak shadow over the program’s risks.

Blessing Obiaru, a guardian who tragically lost a loved one in the Bauchi mob killing in 2011, advocates fervently for robust security measures. Witnessing the devastating consequences of inadequate protection, she emphasizes the urgent need for proactive measures and comprehensive security protocols to ensure the safety of all corps members during their service duties.

The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Yishau Ahmed, emphasizes the imperative of maximum security for corps members. Engaging with heads of security agencies in Bauchi State, Ahmed calls for enhanced security measures, extending the plea up to corps lodges. Brigadier General Egbe and other security heads echo this sentiment, pledging comprehensive protection for corps members.

In response to the call for heightened security, corps member Phillips Oyinwanwa stresses the critical importance of ensuring the safety of participants, emphasizing their neutral role in nation-building.

Critics question whether the NYSC program has fulfilled its purpose of fostering national unity over its five decades. In the aftermath of the divisive 2023 general elections, the program’s efficacy is cast into doubt, and pressure mounts on Nigeria’s leaders to address escalating tensions and societal divisions.

With the safety of participants at stake, the Nigerian government faces a constitutional imperative to protect citizens enrolled in national service programs. Amidst the lack of tangible assurances for enhanced security measures, the clamor for the abolition of the NYSC program grows louder, driven by parents demanding accountability and reform.

The NYSC program stands at a crossroads, its legacy tarnished by tragedy, and its efficacy questioned by a nation in turmoil. Urgent action, whether through comprehensive reforms or the courageous decision to abolish, is imperative as the fate of the NYSC program hangs in the balance, intricately tied to the lives of generations to come.