“Don’t Risk Your Lives”: Clergyman Urges Prospective Corps Members to Avoid Northern NYSC Postings

A Nigerian clergyman has stirred widespread debate on social media after warning prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to reject postings to northern states due to persistent security concerns.

The cleric, identified on X (formerly Twitter) as @pfemiolaleye, issued the caution in a viral post where he urged young graduates to prioritize their safety above national service. He described it as “unwise” for parents to invest heavily in their children only to send them to areas he believes are unsafe.

According to him, many families who lose their children in service-related incidents receive little recognition, sympathy, or support from the nation they sacrificed for. He also warned that in cases of tragedy, authorities often deny responsibility or fail to acknowledge the loss.

“Do not mobilize for NYSC if you are posted to the North. Stay at home. Don’t let wicked men use you as pawns,” he wrote, stressing that patriotism should not come at the cost of one’s life.

His warning comes in the wake of a tragic accident that claimed the lives of 16 prospective corps members who were travelling to the Gombe NYSC orientation camp. The incident reignited nationwide concerns about the safety of corps members, especially in states battling insecurity, road dangers, and banditry.

While some Nigerians on social media echoed the clergyman’s advice, arguing that safety should be paramount, others insisted that the NYSC scheme was designed to promote national unity and should not be abandoned.

The NYSC management has yet to directly respond to the clergyman’s remarks, but the renewed conversation highlights the growing concerns surrounding corps members’ welfare, particularly in regions facing security challenges.