Deaths of NYSC members worry stakeholders...as they call for serious action

Emeka Ibemere

When has the

National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme in Nigeria become a death punishment for the young Nigerians going through the service? Have the NYSC’s call to duty now an avenue for parents to mourn.

These are the questions being asked by Nigerians who are still in shock over incessant killings of NYSC members on their national duties of serving their fatherland. It has become one death; too many. In less than one week, two corps members were killed in their different states of primary duty.

Yearly basis, parents go to churches, mosques and other prayer houses praying for the safety of their children in their areas of service, as if NYSC members are in war zone countries while they are serving their fatherland on developmental scheme.

It would be recalled that the NYSC scheme was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war. It was the disunity created by the war that birth to the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps by decree No.24 of 22nd May 1973.

 The degree said: "NYSC is being established with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity".

The aim was to bridge the problems,  which after the civil war, the government and people of Nigeria set for the country, a fresh goals, and objectives aimed at establishing Nigeria as: a united, strong and self reliant nation:  a great and dynamic economy;  a land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens; and a free and democratic society.

With this in the degree, it become necessary that once a student graduates from the University or a polytechnic, with a degree or National Higher Diploma, (HND), he or she is sent to a state in Nigeria to serve the Nation.

“Youths obey the clarion call, let us lift our nation high, under the sun and in the rain, with dedication and selflessness, Nigeria ours, Nigeria, we Serve”.

 This service has now become a field where NYSC members are killed regularly while the government that sent them on the service look the other way round without any action against the assailants.

Of recent, NYSC has not been without its downs, with tales of killings and abductions of Corp Members everywhere, every state.

The maltreatment of Bunmi Adeyera, a Youth Service corps member, by security officials has caused outrage among concerned Nigerians.

Akan Imoh, a former Bunmi Adeyera’s classmate at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos, calls on fellow Nigerians not to give up and join the fight against inhuman treatment of young people serving their country at NYSC.

“When I heard about what happened to Bunmi Adeyera at the NYSC camp the only emotion that came over me was outrage. He was my classmate at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos. Bunmi, a very gentle young man, one of the Batch “A” Corp members in Nassarawa state orientation camp, was almost slaughtered like a useless goat by security operatives”, Imoh said.

It was gathered that the deceased met his death when he went to get drugs and food following an illness that befall him that fateful day.  He was allegedly ambushed by alleged security officials. According to the report, the overzealous officials without giving ear to Adeyera’s explanations, decided to beat the innocent Corps member until he fainted.

“This is barbaric and uncouth behaviour of people who are supposed to know better. It is so annoying that we have agreed to go through the obviously useless and pointless NYSC programme even at the cost of losing a full year of our lives. We have agreed to serve a country that only pays us back with blood and tears; moreover, we are still tortured, beaten and bullied. The cases of soldiers’ brutality surface every year but this is the one we will not turn a blind eye to”, Imoh further quipped.

“Have we not suffered enough? Has our dear nation not tortured us enough? Can one count how many secondary school leavers have lost direction and focus in life due to not being admitted into universities? So many young boys and girls have become yahoo; yahoo boys and call girls as a result of sitting at home for so many years waiting to get to school with no avail”.

NYSC members are being killed; they also face torture, and other inhuman treatment in the hands of the villagers who supposed to protect them.

Some stakeholders said the Youth Service programme has lost its value. According to them, the lives of the Nigerian youths are rather being used to settle political scores as.

“If we cannot guarantee safety to the young people serving the nation, if the security operatives who are supposed to be of good conduct act like roadside touts and pounce on the so-called leaders of tomorrow beating them to coma, then we should rather stay back in our homes and pursue success”, Imoh said.

Imoh stated wrote that he dedicate his write up on national news medium to Bunmi Adeyera and others who have painful stories to tell from their Youth Service days.

“We demand an apology from the DG of the NYSC and we want the perpetrators of this act to be brought to book”.

Imoh is not the only person sad over the death of NYSC members in Nigeria. Last week Wednesday, the House of Representatives urged the Police to investigate injuries and untimely death of some National Youth Service Corps members in the country.

The Reps made the call when it unanimously adopted a motion moved by Kingsley Chinda from PDP -Rivers, during the first plenary session of 8th House of Reps sitting in Abuja.

 Kingsly, who moved the motion under matter of urgent national importance, said it was to protect NYSC members and review their terms of service. He added that the motion took cognizance of the fact that some corps members had suffered injuries and untimely deaths in their host states.

Representative Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, Abia-PDP called on government to take extra measures to ensure the protection of corps members. Representative Sani Zoro, Jigawa-APC said the Act that established all uniform institutions like the Nigerian Army should be reviewed as well to enhance their efficiency.

From Imo state comes the murder of Akpanira Frampton, a corps member, who was murdered on June 6 in Imo State. Frampton was said to have strangled to death by yet to be identified assailants, who tied his legs with a rope and covered his face with cloth.

Neighbours discovered the body of the deceased, identified as Mr. Hope Frampton Akpanira who was carrying out his primary assignment at Christ the Saviour Secondary School Okwuato at about 9pm June 6 in his apartment.

 According to media reports, the neighbours of the victim became curious when they discovered that the door of the late corps member was open even when he had not been seen around the premises.

 The reports revealed that when the neighbours entered the apartment, they found the lifeless body of Akpan on the floor in a pool of his blood with his legs tied. His neighbourhood said that Akpan was last seen at about 4pm on that fateful day.

Meanwhile, indigenes of Ezuhu Umuhu Okwuato Autonomous Community in Aboh Mbaise Council of Imo State, where the deceased was carrying out his assignment have allegedly deserted their homes in order to evade being arrested by security operatives following the discovery of the mutilated body of a corps member, who was posted to the community for his primary assignment.

Spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Andrew Enwerem (DSP), confirmed the incident, but said some arrests have been made while investigations are in progress.

 As if that wasn’t enough, the recent mysterious death of a serving corps member in Kwara state, is unsettling the state, since the death of the corps member last year.

The management of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) has set up an administrative panel to look into the circumstances of the incident. The 2014 batch B corps member, Miss. Yetunde Idowu was found dead at GRA Ilorin, after visiting the popular shopping mall, Shoprite. It was gathered that the deceased, until her death was serving with the State Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Kwara, Ilorin.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the death adding, “We are still investigating, now cannot say exactly what happened. It could be a case of a hit and run or an accident.

“As far as we are concerned, it was a reported case of “found dead” with a broken skull and bruises, for now I can’t tell you whether it was a case of whether rape, abduction or kidnapping. The incident is still under investigation, as police are trying to establish circumstances surrounding the death of the youth corps member. Yetunde’s family was contacted and her body would be released in the nearest future”, Okasanmi stated.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the police to investigate untimely deaths of Corps members (NYSC) in the country. The House adjourned sitting to June 23. Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, asked members to observe one minute silence for all the NYSC members that had lost their lives in parts of the country.

In Gombe State, it was accusations and counter-accusations over the death of a corps member during the March elections. But the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management denied that any corps member was killed on election duty in Gombe State.

NYSC statement was contained in a statement signed by NYSC’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Bose Aderibigbe. Aderigbigbe said the reports that youth corps members were killed were false.

She said that the two persons who lost their lives   were INEC’s ad-hoc staff and not corps members.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is an organisation set up by the Nigerian government to involve the country's graduates in the development of the country with Brig Gen Jide Olawumi as Director General. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, but since 1973 graduates of universities and later polytechnics have been required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program for one year. This is known as national service year.

"Corp" members are posted to cities far from their city of origin. They are expected to mix with people of other tribes, social and family backgrounds, to learn the culture of the indigenes in the place they are posted to.

This action is aimed at bringing about unity in the country and to help youths appreciate other ethnic groups. The program has also helped in creating entry-level jobs for many Nigerian youth. The program has been met with serious criticism by a large portion of the country.

The NYSC members have complained of being underpaid, paid late or not paid at all. Several youths carrying out the NYSC members have been killed in the regions they were sent to due to religious violence, ethnic violence or political violence.

It would be recalled that four years ago, series of bomb and other violent attacks, especially in the North, rocked the country’s stability in the period preceding the 2011 gubernatorial and presidential elections. Most common of these attacks was perpetuated by the Islamist extremist terrorist group called Boko Haram.

The Boko Haram goons are against western education and want to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria's northern region. Worst hit of their activities were Corps members, some of whom lost their lives.

As compensation, the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, at what can be described as a ceremony, presented N5 million to families of those who lost their lives at the blast. He also promised to give jobs to the other affected corps members immediately after the mandatory one-year service to the nation.

It would also be recalled that few years ago, the Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), launched insurance scheme for youth Corps members in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in furtherance of its corporate social responsibility to Nigerians to caution the effect of those who die yearly on road accidents.

 The one-year NYSC voluntary Group Personal Accident (GPA) Insurance Scheme is in partnership with NEM Insurance Plc, with each subscriber paying a subsidised premium of N5, 000. The policy covers all forms of accidents on the Corps members’ way to camp and throughout the year.

During the unveiling of the scheme in Lagos, NARTO’s National Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Gowon, said subscribers would enjoy many benefits. According to him, this include; N5 million for accidental death, up to N500,000 medical injury treatment, free emergency evacuation to any hospital of choice in the country, and up to N5 million for permanent disability due to accident.

“The decision to introduce this scheme is borne out the recent experience in our national life whereby members of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) have been exposed to various life threatening hazards, excruciating experiences and other societal vices in the course of observing” their mandatory service year”, he said.

Gowon also clarified that the voluntary scheme was not within the purview of the NYSC authorities, adding that the scheme was only endorsed by the NYSC management, based on the lofty philosophy and goals.