Corps members storm NYSC for redeployment from North East posting

Corps members

Many young graduates from tertiary institutions who were posted to the northern States of Borno, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states besieged the national headquarters of the National Youth Service Corps in Abuja in search of redeployment.

This  came on a day the management of the scheme released a new date and venue for the Batch ‘C’ Orientation course for corps members posted to Borno and Yobe states. 

The states are  known to have obvious security challenges caused by the Islamist fundamentalist group, Boko Haram.

Some of the prospective corps members, who  spoke with our correspondent, did so  on the condition of anonymity.

A lady from Abia State, who gave her name simply as  Ijeoma, said she was rejecting her posting to Bauchi State out of concern for her aged parents.

She said, “I am the only girl and the last child  in a family that has  six children. Since my mother heard I was posted to Bauchi State, she has been lamenting.

“She has refused to eat; even my father has insisted that I either get reposted to another state preferably in the South or I defer my service year.

“I personally don’t want to defer; that is why I am here to change my posting if I can.  If they don’t agree, I will defer it to another year. I am only 22; I dont  to die in the hands of people who don’t value life.”

Another prospective corps member, who declined to give his name, said, “I did not earn a degree to be hacked down in my prime by individuals who do not value life.

“I believe in Nigeria but we are not at war, until I am convinced of my personal safety,  I cannot in good conscience put my family through the harrowing experience of uncertainty by serving in Gombe State; which is also becoming another haven for Boko Haram members.”

However, the NYSC has laid down procedures for those seeking redeployments. They are  to attend the orientation programme at the states of their posting.  During the exercise, they will  fill the necessary forms before their requests could be attended to.

A statement by the Head, Public Relations of the NYSC, Mrs. Clara Babatunde, said the mandatory orientation course for corps members posted to Borno and Yobe states would now begin on December 1 and end  December 15, 2011.

The statement added, “A new date and venue has been announced for 2011 Batch “C” Orientation Course for Corps embers posted to Borno and Yobe States, who due to security reasons could not commence the exercise along with others.

“…While Nassarawa State camp at Keffi will host Corps members posted to Yobe State, the Benue state camp at Wanune, along Makurdi-Gboko Road, will host their Borno State counterparts.”

The statement added that prospective members must attend the programme in person as registration by proxy would not be allowed.