NYSC DG clears air on redeployment of corps members

CONTRARY to widely held belief that the Batch 'B' 2012 corps members posted to some northern states would be redeployed, only prospective corps members posted to troubled states but are yet to report to such states are to be redeployed by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management, even as the organisation declared that it would not deprive Bauchi State of the services of corps members due to the reason of insecurity.
Authorities of the scheme had, last week, directed corps members posted to some troubled northern states, including Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Kano and Kaduna states, for the Batch 'B' 2012 service year to report to its headquarters in Abuja for immediate redeployment.
The directive was interpreted in some quarters to mean that corps members posted to the affected states would be redeployed to other states of the country to perform their mandatory one-year national service.

But clarifying the directive while speaking with journalists last Friday at the permanent NYSC orientation camp at Wailo in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State shortly after visiting the camp to see things for himself at the ongoing orientation exercise, NYSC Director-General, Brigadier-General Nnamdi Okorie-Affia, stated that the directed did not affect those already in camp for the orientation.

"Corps members who, for reason of fear of insecurity who had not reported at all and who are still in possession of their original call-up letters are the ones asked to report at the headquarters for redeployment, not those who have come in to commence their service," Brigadier-General Okorie-Affia stated.

He, however, assured that at the end of the three-week orientation exercise, cases of corps members who are desirious of relocation would be treated strictly on merit, stating that Bauchi State would not be emptied of corps members as a result of relocation of corps members.

Speaking on the security of corps members, the Director-General stated that though the organisation was not a security outfit, it was, however, collaborating with security agencies with a view to ensuring the safety of corps members.

"Cases of relocation will be treated on their merit. We will not empty Bauchi State of corps members because people want to relocate. Don't forget that Batch 'C' 2011 are serving in Bauchi. Batch 'A' 2012 are also here. These ones are just coming. We will treat all cases of relocation based on their merit; those that need relocation will be relocated," he declared.

at the places of their primary assignment, assuring that they would be protected at their host communities by all stakeholders, including state governments.

" NYSC is not a security organisation. NYSC relies on all security agencies to provide security for corps members and all Nigerians as well.Remember that these corps members are going to be deployed round the state. We have, however, identified their lodges where they reside and given that information to the police and the SSS so that they can go on rescue mission any time there is trouble as soon as possible.

"These corps members will be protected in their places of primary assignment by all major stakeholders and these include state governments and security agencies deployed in the state," he said.

Asked whether corps members would be allowed to participate in future elections in the country given the post-election violence that led to the death of 10 corps members in Bauchi State last year, General Okorie-Affia affirmed that NYSC members would continue to serve as ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during elections, adding that, "Corps members will participate as ad hoc staff of INEC. They will not partake or participate in political activities.

"They will only participate as ad hoc staff of INEC to serve as electoral officers or whatever task INEC gives them."

The Director-General stated that the rationale behind the deployment of serving Batch 'C' 2011 and Batch 'A' 2012 corps members in bauchi metropolis was for security purpose and for the wellbeing.

General Okorie-Affia said: "The idea behind that is that Bauchi in 2011 triggered an outcry for the scrapping of the scheme because of what happened to corps members deployed to Bauchi State. And the reason for deploying them within the metropolis was to have them within reach of the coordinator and other security agencies just in case of trouble so that they could be easily rescued and not exposed to unnnecessary threat to their wellbeing and security."

Meanwhile, the Director-General has stated that some parts of Bauchi State would not be availed of the services of corps members, declaring emphatically that corps members would not be sent to places where 10 corps members were killed during the post-presidential election violenece in the state last year for their primary assignment.
"There are areas in Bauchi that will not receive corps members, especially areas that those Bauchi 10 were killed. Those areas will not receive corps members."

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