HURIWA urges NYSC to stop posting corps members to war zones

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for posting corps members to areas plagued by terrorism, particularly in the North East and North West regions.

The group expressed outrage over the recent rescue of 74 NYSC members who were stranded in Borno State due to a vehicle breakdown, which could have resulted in another mass abduction.

HURIWA attributed the current security challenges to the recklessness of the NYSC management, which has failed to prioritise the safety and welfare of corps members.

The group recalled the incident in Zamfara State where a dozen corps members were kidnapped and held captive for over a year, with their families paying heavy ransoms for their release.

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HURIWA urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of Youth Affairs and the NYSC Director-General to immediately stop deploying corps members in areas with terrorist presence.

The group also announced plans to mobilise support and logistics to sue the NYSC management for exposing corps members to imminent danger.

HURIWA emphasised that the right to life was sacrosanct and must be protected by all lawful means.

The group stressed that the NYSC’s actions were tantamount to putting the lives of young Nigerians at risk, and that it was the fundamental duty of the government to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens.