Gyang Bere, Jos
Director General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure has called for the protection of corps members in North Central following attacks by gunmen and kidnappers.
He urged them to be security-conscious and caution corps members against unnecessary journies without permission which has culminated into the death of many.
Gen. Kazaure stated this, on Thursday, while addressing 2017 Batch “B” corps members from Nasarawa, Gombe and Plateau states at the Permanent Orientation Camp Mangu, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Said he, “I urged you all to be security-conscious. You should not move alone anywhere you found yourself or in the community where you are posted. You should moves in a group of two or three persons to protect yourselves against any form of insecurity.
“We have made adequate arrangement for your security across the country, we are working in collaboration with the military, Police and DSS to provide tight security for corps members anywhere they are posted to.
“We will not deliberately post any corps members to insecurity areas, that was why all corps members who are posted to Benue state are having their orientation camp in Kogi state because of the recent security threats in the state.”
He warned corps members in the country against going for night party and embarking on avoidable journey which has consumed some corps members while others are either deformed or amputated as a result of ghastly accidents.
Gen. Kazaure urged the corps members to believe in the prosperity of Nigeria and take advantage of the skill acquisition programme introduced by the scheme to become employers of labour after the service year.
He continued, “NYSC is all about unity and integration of the country, therefore you must be patriotic and key into the skills acquisition programme so that you can add value to Nigerian economy when you become employer of labour.
“To be honestly with you, there is no white scholar job anywhere now, your predecessors who took our skills acquisition programme serious were able to secure loan at Central Bank of Nigeria and they are doing very well instead of depending solemnly on government for survival.”
Coordinator of NYSC in Plateau State, Mrs. Olufumilayo Akin-Moses, said there was water-tight security for all corps members in the camp and those serving in the state, saying the military, Police and DSS were visibly on ground to provide adequate protection for all corps members.
She added that the welfare of corps members was one of their priorities, as corps members were fed daily according to approved meal recommended by the scheme’s headquarters.