NYSC to redeploy corps members from troubled states

FOLLOWING the spate of insecurity being experienced in some states in the northern part of the country, the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has directed corps members posted to five of the affected states but who are yet to collect their call-up letters
to report at the NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, for redeployment.

The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Nnamdi Okorie-Affia, on Wednesday directed all 2012 Batch ‘B’ prospective corps members deployed in Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Kano and Kaduna states who have collected their call-up letters but are yet to report in camp to immediately report at the NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, for redeployment.

                                   

The management of the NYSC has also changed the orientation camps for some prospective corps members for the 2012 Batch ‘B’ orientation course .

Specifically affected are the prospective corps members deployed in Yobe and Borno states.

The Yobe State prospective corps members will now hold their orientation course at the Nasarawa State Permanent Orientation Camp, Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area, and not as stated in their call-up letters.

Also, Borno State prospective corps members will undertake their orientation programme at the Benue State NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Wanume, Tarka Local Government Area, and not as stated in their call-up letters.

The NYSC DG Okorie-Affia informed that the date remained Thursday, 26th July-Thursday, 16th August, 2012, as earlier published.

In a related development, tight security, comprising soldiers, policemen as well as other security operatives were deployed in the orientation camp of the NYSC, Karaye, Kano, to ensure safety of the 2,500 corps members in camp, just as the state governor, Dr Musa Kwankwaso has assured the corps members of adequate protection of life and property during their service year.

The information gathered at the camp from a source, who craved for anonymity, said 50 soldiers, a number of policemen, members of the civil defence and local security operatives, the vigilante, have been provided in the camp as a measure to protect the corps members posted to the state.

This is just as the state coordinator of the NYSC, Alhaji Bashir Yakasai, warned the new corps members to desist from granting interviews to pressmen on any issue relating to religion and politics.

However, while speaking during the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Kwankwaso, who was represented by the state deputy governor, Dr Umar Ganduje, called on corps members to put behind them the recent security challenges the state is facing because they would be well protected.

He said: “Government will do everything possible to ensure your safety during the three-week orientation exercise and through the service year in the respective communities you may find yourselves.

“Furthermore, government shall continue to ensure that the atmosphere of peace and prosperity reign in Kano State, not only for the well-being of all people living, but for the promotion of economic prosperity,” he said.

Kwankwaso then urged citizens of the state to extend the compliments of accommodation, love, generosity and affection to the corps members in the various communities.

Speaking in the same vein, the state coordinator said contrary to the insinuation that corps members would not turn up for the orientation in Kano, 2,500 out of the 2,650 deployed in the state had reported for the orientation programme.

He, however, added that enough security had been put in place to safeguard the life and property of the corps members, noting that the NYSC would grant request for redeployment to any corps member with genuine reason(s) who has genuine reason to relocate.

Meanwhile, most of the corps members interviewed said they were ready to contribute their quota to the development of the country anywhere they were posted to serve in the state.

“We would continue to pray for the peaceful co-existence to reign in the country and we believe that there would be a divine intervention to solve the myriad of problems the country is currently passing through.”

Meanwhile, the Zamfara State coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Ruth Bakka, has warned the 2012 batch ‘B’ corps members posted to the state against passing unguarded comments against Boko Haram.

She made the disclosure on Wednesday, during the swearing-in ceremony of the new corps members posted to the state, held at the NYSC orientation camp, Tsafe.

According to her, they decided to take this step because of the prevailing security situation confronting the country, adding that “corps members are forbidden from granting press interviews or issue written statements bordering on contemporary political situation.”

Bakka advised any corps member who had anything to say to make use of the suggestion boxes strategically provided within the camp.

The coordinator said she was satisfied with the turnout of corps members posted to the state, saying at the time of the ceremony, 1,768 corps members had registered out of the 2,300 posted to the state.