NYSC DG says Corps members can be mobilised for war

Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, says corps members are part of the national defence policy of Nigeria and can be mobilised for war if the need arises.

The NYSC DG said this on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme on Wednesday, June 3, 2021, while reacting to moves to scrap the NYSC scheme.

Ibrahim 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.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director-General, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim. [guardian] Pulse Nigeria

“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.”

The NYSC boss also said that the scheme had become more important than ever in the face of the rising calls for secession in Nigeria.

He further explained that that insecurity in the country was not enough reason to scrap the scheme, saying corps members play a huge role in educating children in Internally Displaced Persons’ camps.

Ibrahim maintained that the scheme had been able to foster national unity and cohesion, adding that many corps members had found love in the various orientation camps and married.