Joint prospective Corp members from the Benue State University (BSU) and the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi on Wednesday stormed National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Secretariat in Makurdi, the Benue State capital over the recent ban of the institutions from participating in the exercise.
NYSC has recently banned the two institutions from mobilizing students for the compulsory scheme over students’ age manipulation and other irregularities. According to NYSC, the affected institutions collaborated with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to manipulate students’ age thereby mobilizing over aged students. The official service age of the scheme is 30.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Sule Zakari Kazaure has earlier reiterated readiness to bar any Corp producing institution that engages in fraudulent mobilization process. Speaking at the just concluded Batch “C” pre-mobilization workshop held in Enugu, Kazaure said, “Any Corp producing institution found capable of mobilization malpractice, will be barred from participating in the exercise for at least two batches”.
Eye witness reports that the students were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions and chanting different songs.
Addressing the aggrieved students, the NYSC state coordinator, Mrs Eno Awakessiend said she was not aware of the whole situation until it came to her notice on Sunday. She however, expressed readiness to, as a matter of urgency, extend their message to her superiors at the NYSC Headquarters, Abuja.
“I really appreciate you all for choosing peace over violence. I was actually on my way for an assignment when I got a call that my children are here and they need my attention. Whatever question you brought here today, I assure you that it will get to our headquarters immediately and hopefully, it will yield positive results”.
President of Students Union (SU) Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi Chapter, Mr David Pine who spoke on behave of the students said that NYSC and the school managements should know how to resolve their differences without jeopardizing the future of innocent students.
Pine revealed that the affected students have vowed to shut down the Benue NYSC Camp until the ban is lifted. “If Benue State students are not qualified to serve Nigeria, then nobody should be posted to Benue too.” he stressed.