ABUJA — The head of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has commended the military for maintaining a secure environment for thousands of young graduates taking part in the mandatory national service scheme.
Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the NYSC Director General, made the remarks during a courtesy visit to Major General Folusho Oyinlola, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division in Jos.
The scheme, which brings together university graduates under the age of 30 from across Nigeria to serve the country for one year, has faced persistent security challenges in recent years due to regional instability and banditry.
General Nafiu stressed that the survival and success of the youth programme are entirely dependent on the safe atmosphere provided by state security agencies.
“The scheme cannot thrive in an insecure environment,” the director general said, praising the division for ensuring that temporary orientation camps under its jurisdiction have never had to be cancelled due to security threats.
Development and unity
More than 7,000 corps members are currently deployed across central Plateau State, working primarily as doctors, nurses, and teachers in rural public schools and hospitals.
The director general noted that despite ongoing economic and logistics reforms within the organisation to improve operational efficiency, the NYSC remains a vital tool for fostering national integration, youth employment, and cross-cultural marriages in a deeply diverse nation.
Responding, Major General Oyinlola described the youth scheme as a crucial pillar of national development and reaffirmed the army’s commitment to protecting participants.
“Whether we like it or not, testimonies abound about the positive impact of the NYSC,” the military commander said, pledging continued security surveillance around corps lodges and key assignment locations across the region.
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