The National Youth Service Corps has intensified its efforts to ensure the safety of corps members nationwide, as concerns over insecurity and welfare continue to grow.
The Director-General of the scheme, Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday, where he addressed issues ranging from kidnapping risks to general safety measures for corps members.
He explained that while the NYSC is not a security agency, it operates in close coordination with relevant authorities to safeguard participants in the scheme.
“We are not a security agency, but we work closely with the police, military and intelligence community to ensure our corps members are safe,” he said.
According to him, the scheme maintains continuous engagement with security agencies, particularly during orientation programmes when thousands of corps members are mobilised across different parts of the country.
He noted that security agencies are notified in advance of such activities, with orientation camps reinforced and personnel deployed to provide adequate protection.
In certain locations, Nafiu revealed, corps members are even escorted by security operatives along designated routes to ensure their safe arrival at orientation camps.
“You may be interested to know that in some locations, corps members are escorted by troops because authorities are aware of their movement,” he said.
The NYSC has also adopted preventive strategies, including relocating camps away from areas deemed vulnerable to security threats. Nafiu cited instances in 2025 when camps in Kwara and Kebbi states were moved as part of proactive safety measures.
“We do not deploy corps members to places where we do not have our own staff presence or where security reports are unfavourable,” he said.
Addressing concerns about kidnapping incidents involving young Nigerians, he clarified that some widely reported cases had been misunderstood. In one instance, he said, the individual involved was no longer an active corps member at the time of the incident.
“We verified from our records that the individual served between 2022 and 2023 and was no longer under the scheme at the time,” he said.
Despite such clarifications, Nafiu acknowledged the public’s concerns and the emotional impact of such incidents, stressing that the scheme remains committed to improving safety measures.
He said NYSC continues to prioritise awareness by educating corps members on personal security and risk management.
As part of this, he advised corps members to strictly follow travel guidelines, especially avoiding journeys at night.
“They should break their journeys once it is 6 p.m. and pass the night at safe locations such as military formations, police stations or NYSC facilities,” he said.
He also encouraged them to maintain regular communication with trusted individuals while travelling and avoid sharing sensitive travel details publicly.
“They should update a trusted person regularly about their location for safety purposes, instead of exposing themselves online,” he said.
Nafiu dismissed claims that the scheme forces corps members to sign undertakings absolving it of responsibility for their safety, describing such reports as false and misleading.
“There is no such policy; if it existed, corps members would have shared evidence widely, but there is nothing like that,” he said.
He added that NYSC remains committed to the welfare of corps members, including access to healthcare services through government-backed insurance and medical support systems.
