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File photo of Corps members working as INEC ad-hoc staff during an election
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has sought the Nigerian Army’s support to ensure the safety of corps members who will serve as ad hoc personnel during the 2027 general elections.
Nafiu said corps members would be deployed to support the Independent National Electoral Commission in conducting the elections, stressing the need to guarantee their security before, during and after the exercise.
He made the appeal during a visit to the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola.
In a statement by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, Nafiu congratulated Babalola on his appointment and commended him for his welfare-oriented disposition towards corps members serving within the division.
The NYSC director-general said Lagos State alone accounted for about 20 per cent of the corps population nationwide, with between 45,000 and 48,000 corps members deployed to the state annually.
He added that Lagos and Ogun were among the few states where the scheme deployed corps members to all local government areas, unlike some states where security challenges had restricted deployment to certain areas.
Nafiu commended the division for providing a secure environment for NYSC operations across its areas of responsibility in Lagos and Ogun states.
He attributed the prevailing security situation in the two states to the professionalism and experience of the military and other security agencies.
He also praised the GOC for his commitment to training and mentoring young officers.
In his response, Babalola described Nafiu’s appointment as NYSC director-general as well deserved and pledged the division’s continued support for the scheme.
He said the security of corps members remained a priority, adding that the existing partnership between the division and the NYSC Lagos State Secretariat would be strengthened.
The GOC also commended corps members serving within the division for their conduct, attributing it to the leadership, guidance and mentorship provided by NYSC officials. (The Nation)
