The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress has strongly condemned the rape and killing of a youth corps member serving in Borno State, Miss Grace Ushang. The party says that such barbaric act diminishes the country more in the eyes of the outside world and calls for a quick review of the NYSC scheme to determine its relevance in view of the increasing risks Nigerian youths are exposed to with the present nature of the scheme.
In a release in Lagos, signed by the party’s Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the AC, Joe Igbokwe, the party says that it is worried by the great risks youths undergoing the compulsory scheme are facing, especially in the northern parts of the country. It therefore insists that if the scheme continues to serve as avenue for the brutal killing of youths who passed through so much stress going to school, it must be abolished even if it is to save Nigerian youths from further destruction in the hands of blood thirsty brutes who do not care of the values of human life and education.
“We must bear in mind that the killing of Miss Ushang is coming just some months after a couple of youth corps members were brutally killed in the violence that erupted in Jos recently over the conduct of council elections in Plateau State. We must also bear in mind that there have been several cases of heartless mauling of serving youth corps members in some states, especially in the North and these have stretched the patience of those that are merely tolerating this scheme that makes very scant effort to protect Nigerian youths from all manners of man-made hazard during their period of service.
“It is barbaric and primitive acts like the killing of Miss Ushang that make us, and indeed, most Nigerians, question the relevance of the NYSC in its present form. When we recall some of the hideous and intolerable treatment meted to youth corpers in their supposed host states and communities, we are being forced to question why the scheme should still be retained in its current format. When we try to quantify what it takes a Nigerian youth to pass through the stormy educational sector, we see no excuse to have them sent to places where they are martyred through frivolous guises and reasons. We know the pains and anxieties parents pass through to see their children and wards through schools. We also know the enormous resources involved in training a child through school and we cannot reconcile this with the cheap and reckless manner lives of these promising youths are wasted just because they are forced to partake in a scheme that has, from all intents, outlived its usefulness.
“We are particularly worried that youth corps members are sent to hostile communities, without any form of protection, as was observed in the case of Miss Ushang. We are sad that a country like Nigeria, with abundant wealth and resources chooses to sacrifice its youths so cheaply so as to satisfy some outdated schemes. We cannot accept this further and we call on all Nigerians to demand the scrapping of the NYSC scheme if no effort is being made to protect our youths from brutal murder and untimely death by the government.
“Lagos AC commiserates with the parents and relations of Miss Ushang and demand for quick and urgent action to ensure that the perpetrators of that dastardly murder are apprehended and brought to justice. We demand for compensation for the family of Miss Ushang, even as we believe that nothing will equate her loss to her family. We once again, call for urgent and far reaching review of the NYSC scheme to ensure that it not only guarantees the safety of Nigerian youths undergoing the scheme but also make it meaningful in their lives. We advice that where these safeguards are not provided for the serving corps members, the scheme should be scrapped without delay so as to save the lives and futures of Nigerian youths.”
Joe Igbokwe.
Publicity Secretary,
Lagos AC.
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