NYSC Denies Setting Aside Ransom Money For Kidnapped Corps Members

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied budgeting ransom money for kidnapped corps members, contrary to a report that the scheme maintains a secret fund to pay bandits and deliberately exposes corpers to danger.

On Wednesday, the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, said no such provision exists in the scheme’s Act, Bye-laws, or official publications.

“The Management and Staff of the National Youth Service Corps have noted with serious concern the circulation of a misleading and alarmist write-up titled ‘Urgent: The NYSC Death Trap — Our Graduates Are Being Sold to Bandits,'” the statement said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NYSC categorically states that there is no provision whatsoever for any ‘ransom clause.’ This claim is entirely fictitious and should be disregarded in its entirety,” it added.

The NYSC also distanced itself from the case of one Musa Abba, which was linked to the corps in the viral report.

“We deeply empathise with Mr Musa Usman Abba and his family over the unfortunate incident… While this situation is distressing, it is important to clarify that he is not a serving Corps Member, having completed his national service in 2023,” the statement clarified.

On the safety of serving corpers, the NYSC said it would continue to work with security agencies nationwide, adding that corps members posted to high-risk areas are assigned military escorts.

It added, “The Scheme has maintained a long-standing Memorandum of Understanding with Capital Express Assurance Limited, which extends three weeks beyond service completion, in addition to enrollment under the National Health Insurance Scheme.”

On camp relocations, the NYSC said: “In line with its duty of care, the Scheme has taken decisive steps to relocate orientation camps in states such as Kebbi, Kaduna, Kwara, Borno, Gombe, and Plateau to safer locations, ensuring the protection of both Corps Members and camp officials.

“The Scheme has been targeted on several occasions by purveyors of fake news and misinformation, making it imperative for the media and the general public to remain vigilant.”