Following an alarm raised by one of the parents of kidnapped Corp members, a diaspora think-tank, Citizens Action (AC) has called on the management of the National Youth Service Corps to rise up to the occasion and halt the incessant incidents of kidnapping involving corps members across the country
The group while reacting to the widely reported kidnap of another two corp members in kogi state as well as other similar incidents across the country while on election duty called on the management of the scheme to show their commitment to the security and welfare of Corp members by their sincerity more than the lip service that has become the schemes trademark under the current leadership of Brig Gen Yashau ”
In a statement signed by the convener Comrade Joshua Oluwowe , the group queried why the NYSC continue to hide under the flimsy excuse that election duty involving corps is voluntary yet have their top officials partaking in the largesse provided by INEC meant for corps members allowances during the election duty ”
“The said officials are direct beneficiaries not minding the risk of exposure of innocent Nigerians under the schemes care” why don’t INEC use the millions of unemployed graduates who are jobless for election duty? This is questionable”
” They are just using our children’s blood for personal gain, both INEC and NYSC officials know what goes on in the so called partnership between NYSC and INEC ” for the NYSC officials, it is just a business that needs the sacrifices and blood of our children ; unfortunately, the statement read.
” Again, we also have it on good authority that the greatest beneficiaries when Corp members are kidnapped were the management officials who are directly involved in the negotiations” they inflate ransoms, exploit government of several millions of Naira in this shady negotiations ” they will never tell you how they secured a corp member release in captivity”
“Accordingly, we challenge the scheme to publish the amount of money it had paid for the release of other Corp members kidnapped in the past insisting it will publish further evidence on findings ”
“Instead of risking the lives of innocent Corp members by cajoling them into participation into elections, why not make it a policy that discourages the practice since the risk is too much?” Corp members have no business conducting elections in a volatile country like Nigeria” we have to wake as a people” he insisted
“It would seem to us that this issues of kidnapping involving corps members is gradually becoming a business source for the NYSC officials” as long as no body is asking how much they pay as ransom ” this has to be reviewed.
“As we speak, several corp members are in various detention camps of kidnappers, some like the most recent one in kogi was shot by political thugs ” is this not enough reason to excuse Corp members from election duty?
Recall some ad-hoc staff were reportedly kidnapped in kogi state among which corp members where the victims
“If the scheme insist participation in election duty is voluntary, will they allow corp members to get involved in other things on their volition ” this is double standard motivated by the corruption in the scheme”
The group said it would discuss the possibility of a national protest to call the world attention to the kidnapping cabal within the scheme so to challenge them to account and stop playing with the lives of innocent corp members for personal gain ”
” So when you look at the many unfortunate incidents of kidnapping, deadly attacks on corp members, there’s certainly cause for alarm”
The group said it was on the process of launching an online petition on change .org for Nigerians to demand sanctions on officials found culpable ”
“We are consulting with the Human Rights Commission and expect to seek redress and compensation to the families of kidnapped, injured Corps members across the country “