Calls Intensify for Tinubu Govt to Scrap NYSC Amid Rising Insecurity

NYSC members

Calls Intensify for Tinubu Govt to Scrap NYSC Amid Rising Insecurity

Pressure is mounting on the Bola Tinubu-led government to suspend or scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program due to escalating insecurity that has left corps members vulnerable across Nigeria. Reports of kidnappings, attacks, and threats against young graduates participating in the scheme have reignited public debate over the safety of the program.

The NYSC program, designed to promote national integration and social cohesion, now faces scrutiny as parents, civil society groups, and human rights organizations raise concerns about the risks posed to graduates deployed to volatile areas.

Haruna Danjuma, national president of the Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (PTA), urged the government to reconsider the NYSC if it cannot guarantee the safety of corps members. He said the current security situation makes it “painful to lose a child” and called for governors and security agencies to provide formal assurances before graduates are posted to any state. Danjuma stressed that it is not easy to train a child from birth until university only for them to face life-threatening risks during NYSC. He emphasized that the Federal Government must ensure the safety and welfare of these young graduates, warning that if it cannot, the NYSC program should be scrapped because its value is defeated.

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Isa Sanusi, executive director of Amnesty International Nigeria, echoed parents’ fears, criticizing the NYSC management for allegedly leaving families to negotiate with kidnappers. He emphasized that the organization has a duty to ensure the security and wellbeing of corps members throughout their service year. Sanusi explained that NYSC mobilized these young people and therefore their safety should remain the organization’s responsibility until the end of the program. Leaving parents to pay ransom or risk their children’s lives, he said, is irresponsible.

The debate has intensified following the abduction of Musa Abba, a corps member from Gusau, Zamfara State, in January while traveling to Sokoto to begin service. Abba, a graduate in plant science and biotechnology from the Federal University Gusau, was reportedly beaten by bandits after his family could not meet the N10 million ransom demanded. Videos circulated online showing Abba alive but in captivity have fueled national outrage, highlighting the dangers corps members face while serving in high-risk areas.

Civil society groups and youth advocates are now calling for urgent action regarding the NYSC. They are demanding a temporary suspension of the program until security improves, posting corps members only to safe and low-risk areas, and implementing enhanced security measures, including police or military escorts. Some advocates are even urging the permanent restructuring or scrapping of the scheme, arguing that the risks currently outweigh the benefits.

Families and community groups across Nigeria are voicing deep concern over the welfare of young graduates participating in the NYSC. Many question whether the program’s goals of fostering national unity are still viable given the rising threats from bandits, kidnappers, and criminal gangs. As insecurity persists, pressure on President Tinubu’s government continues to grow, with calls for urgent action to protect corps members and safeguard Nigeria’s youth.