Abducted NYSC Members: Suspend NYSC Scheme — ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the suspension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme for one year following the abduction of prospective corps members in Imo State.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the call during an interview, saying the temporary suspension would give the Federal Government time to reorganise the programme and improve measures for protecting participants.

Abdullahi acknowledged that the NYSC remained important to national unity but argued that the current security situation required the government to review how the scheme operates.

He said the programme, established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War, still had an important role in promoting national integration. However, he maintained that the safety of young Nigerians should take priority.

According to him, suspending the scheme for at least one year would provide an opportunity to restructure the programme in a way that would make participation safer and more meaningful.

The ADC spokesman also criticised the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity, arguing that security personnel were not adequately equipped to prevent attacks and protect citizens.

He questioned how armed groups were able to intercept prospective corps members travelling to their orientation camps despite the known security challenges along some routes.

The comments followed the abduction of prospective corps members travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South. Gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State on October 1.

The incident has generated renewed calls for stronger protection of corps members and a review of the compulsory national service scheme.

Abdullahi also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address, saying the President did not devote sufficient attention to the country’s security challenges and the plight of Nigerians held by kidnappers.

The ADC official further alleged that the government appeared more focused on the 2027 elections than addressing the security crisis.

He maintained, however, that the NYSC itself remained relevant and should not necessarily be permanently scrapped, but urgently reviewed to reflect Nigeria’s present security realities.