ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has dismissed reports suggesting it intends to deploy corps members to Niger Republic to restore democracy in the crisis-ridden country.
The refutation came as a press statement delivered on Saturday, August 5, 2023, by the NYSC spokesperson, Eddy Megwa.
Megwa appealed to the general public, particularly corps members, their parents, and individuals intending to join the corps, to disregard the allegations attributed to an anonymous content creator.
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In the statement, Megwa said, “The attention of NYSC Management has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media alleging that Corps Members would be deployed to Niger Republic by the Federal Government to fight a war for the restoration of democracy in the country.”
Megwa emphasized that the story was a fabrication aimed at drawing attention to the skit creator’s platform and contained no truth.
He further labeled the story as bordering on criminality and advised content creators to avoid disseminating false information that could undermine the nation’s peace.
“Law Enforcement Agencies will stop at nothing to bring the purveyors of the story to justice,” the NYSC spokesman concluded, highlighting the potential legal repercussions for spreading such misleading information.
‘Enugu Governor’s NYSC Certificate a Forgery,’ Human Rights Writers Confirm
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has confirmed that the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, considers the Discharge Certificate of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, a forgery.
HURIWA sent a delegation to the NYSC headquarters on Friday, July 21, 2023, seeking clarity on recent online reports from the election tribunal suggesting the NYSC may have changed its stance on the alleged forged certificate.
The group demanded a public apology from the NYSC’s Director-General to Governor Mbah if the allegations were unfounded.
However, HURIWA reported on Saturday, July 22, 2023, that NYSC reaffirmed its position that the certificate presented by Governor Mbah is fraudulent.
“The NYSC top management staff firmly reiterated that they have not altered their position, confirming that Governor Peter Mbah’s NYSC certificate is fake and not issued by the NYSC,” HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated.
This announcement follows HURIWA’s ongoing advocacy for transparency, accountability, and justice in public institutions.
The organization has scrutinised Governor Mbah’s Certificate of Discharge even before he assumed office.
HURIWA expressed concern over recent misleading online reports implying that the NYSC had confirmed the validity of the governor’s certificate.
It emphasized that the NYSC’s stance on the alleged forgery remains unchanged.
“As a civil rights body, HURIWA’s advocacy on this matter is grounded in its commitment to upholding justice, human rights, and the rule of law. The organization remains neutral and non-partisan, seeking transparency and accountability from public officeholders,” the statement added.
HURIWA urged the media to verify the information before dissemination to avoid misinformation and confusion.
The organization also called on the NYSC to provide any additional evidence it may have to support its claim and encouraged Governor Mbah to cooperate fully with the legal process.
In its concluding remarks, HURIWA reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for transparency and accountability across all government and public institutions, entrusting the judiciary to dispense justice fairly and independently as the legal proceedings continue.
