The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim has in a recent statement said that it is possible for serving corps members to be mobilized for war.
Shuaibu Ibrahim said corps members are part of the national defence policy of Nigeria and can be mobilised for war, should the occasion arise.
Ibrahim made the statement on Channels TV’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme on Wednesday, June 2, while reacting to moves by some House of Reps members to scrap the NYSC scheme.
He said:
“Corps members are on reserve. They are part of the national defence policy of this country. So, where there is serious war, our corps members are educated, they are knowledgeable and they can be trained. You see the drill and so on.
“You can imagine within the short three weeks in the orientation camps, the corps members are moulded. They are like soldiers. You see female corps members blowing the army horn, playing with the military band.
“So, if not for the knowledge, where are you going to mobilise such young Nigerians to train them quickly to put in their best for the country? So, corps members are on reserve. They are also part of the national defence policy.”
The DG said he understands one of the reasons for the call to discontinue the scheme is insecurity.
He said that is why corps members have been advised not to move around at night.
