Festus Ogun, a human rights lawyer, has warned that he may institute legal proceedings against the National Youth Service Corps over its continued posting of corps members outside their states of residence amid rising insecurity.

Ogun, a Senior Partner at FO Legal, raised the concern in a Facebook post, arguing that the practice exposes young graduates to avoidable risks and may contravene constitutional protections. He maintained that corps members have increasingly become targets for kidnappers and bandits, particularly along high risk travel routes.

Citing recent incidents, he referenced cases involving Eunice Ameh in Abuja, Abba Musa Usman in Zamfara, and Lateefah Binuyo in Kogi. Binuyo, a Lagos resident, was abducted while travelling through Kogi to an orientation camp in Taraba State. Her case drew the attention of the Lagos State House of Assembly, which called for rescue efforts, and she regained her freedom after 10 days in captivity.

Usman was abducted on January 9 while travelling from Gusau in Zamfara State to Sokoto State. His vehicle was intercepted at Gidan Kano, a village located at Makera Take Tsaba in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara. He was released in April after three months in captivity.

Ogun described the continued interstate deployment of corps members as a serious threat to their safety and constitutional rights. “It is unconstitutional for NYSC to continue dispatching young people on a journey of no return. It potentially violates the right to life guaranteed under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution.

“With the spate of insecurity in every corner of Nigeria, posting corpers to states other than their states of residence is tantamount to signing their death warrants while still alive.

“In the coming weeks, I may be compelled to approach a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge this continuous violation of human rights.

“I will chronicle the number of corps members' deaths and abductions experienced owing to insecurity in this country.

“The killings are avoidable, and the NYSC program must stop altogether till the country is safe.

“Now, the suit is not just about me. I have served this country in khaki, some years ago. My fight for corpers is more about the future of this country and the sanctity of human life.”

He indicated that the planned legal action would focus on halting the policy and addressing what he described as preventable threats to corps members nationwide.