NYSC Dismisses Pamphlet Advising Ransom Payment For Kidnapped Corps Members

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has dismissed a pamphlet circulating on social media allegedly advising corps members to pay ransom if kidnapped, clarifying that the publication was not its official publication.

In a statement on Thursday via its X handle, NYSC management explained that a similar document had been presented by a consultant for consideration in 2021, but it was never adopted.

“The attention of the Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been drawn to a purported NYSC pamphlet advising corps members to pay ransom in the event of kidnapping.

“While a similar document was presented to Management for consideration by a consultant in 2021, it was not adopted by the Scheme.

“Management, therefore, wishes to make it clear that the document being circulated is not an official NYSC publication and does not represent the Scheme’s policy regarding staff and corps members’ security; as such, it should be ignored,” the statement read.

NYSC reassured corps members and the public of its commitment to their safety, noting that it continues to work closely with security agencies and other stakeholders to enhance protection for both staff and corps members.

The pamphlet resurfaced online recently, reigniting discussions over Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the risks of kidnapping.

When it first appeared in September 2021, the document advised travelers on “high-risk roads” to alert “family, friends, or colleagues” so that someone would be available to “pay off the ransom that could be demanded” in the event of an abduction.

Despite NYSC’s clarification, some social media users continued to claim the document originated from the scheme.

One X user, @ola_product, commented, “Haaaa! Something that is in the pamphlet I was given the year I served, this is one of the things destroying this country o. Lies, lack of accountability.”