The National Youth Service Corps has moved to contain the spread of a viral article claiming the scheme operates a secret "ransom clause" that exposes corps members to banditry, describing the publication as entirely fictitious and calling on the public to disregard it.
The Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, issued the rebuttal on Wednesday in response to a piece circulating online titled "Urgent: The NYSC Death Trap Our Graduates Are Being Sold to Bandits." The scheme stated that no provision for a ransom clause exists in its Act, Bye laws, or official publications. "This claim is entirely fictitious and should be disregarded in its entirety," the statement said.
The viral article had cited the case of Musa Usman Abba, a young man currently held in captivity by bandits, as evidence of systemic NYSC negligence. The scheme clarified that Abba completed his national service in 2023 and is not a serving corps member, making his case unrelated to current deployment or NYSC responsibility. "We deeply empathise with Mr. Musa Usman Abba and his family over the unfortunate incident," the statement noted, while drawing a clear distinction between the individual's circumstances and the scheme's operations.
On security, the NYSC said corps members posted to high risk areas have been provided with military escorts since 2024 in the North West and earlier in parts of the North East. Orientation camps in Kebbi, Kaduna, Kwara, Borno, Gombe, and Plateau have been relocated to safer sites. All corps members are also enrolled under a life insurance policy through an MoU with Capital Express Assurance Limited, which extends three weeks beyond service completion, alongside coverage under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The scheme warned that misinformation about NYSC operations has become a recurring problem. "The Scheme has been targeted on several occasions by purveyors of fake news and misinformation, making it imperative for the media and the general public to remain vigilant," the statement said.
For corps members currently serving across the country and families anxious about their safety, the NYSC's clarification addresses specific claims while the broader concerns about high risk postings remain a legitimate and ongoing conversation.
