MURIC To FG: Ensure Corps Safety Or End NYSC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged the federal government, led by President Bola Tinubu, to consider scrapping the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) if it cannot ensure the safety of corps members.

The group also called on the government to introduce comprehensive life insurance coverage for all graduates participating in the mandatory one-year scheme.

In addition, MURIC recommended the immediate deployment of mandatory military escorts for corps members posted to high-risk areas across the country.

These demands were contained in a statement issued by the organisation’s executive director, Ishaq Akintola.

MURIC lamented the recurring incidents in which young graduates lose their lives during national service, noting that properties worth millions of naira have also been destroyed.

The group stressed the need for urgent government intervention to curb the loss of lives and property associated with the scheme.

“Our attention has been drawn to ongoing clamour for the safety of youth corpers during their service year. Many have called for the scrapping of the scheme if the safety of youth corpers cannot be guaranteed by the federal government .

‎‎”These sad incidents should not be happening to our youths. It is already assaulting their psyche and militarising them.

“FG must therefore add a human face to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme by taking every necessary step to make it a safe venture for our young ones. We must transform NYSC from a pact with death and captivity to a journey through life and hope.

‎‎”We demand the following: full life insurance policy for every young Nigerian embarking on the NYSC scheme, mandatory military escorts for corpers traveling to high risk zones and prohibition of the abdication of responsibility to parents of corpers,” MURIC said.