The National Youth Service Corps, on Friday, dismissed reports that it was mobilising corps members for war, stressing that this was not true.
The NYSC national directorate in Abuja in a statement by the Deputy Director (Publications), Mr. Emeka Mgbemena, affirmed that it would continue to safeguard the interest of corps members.
Director-General of the Scheme, Brigadier General, Shuaibu Ibrahim, while reacting to moves to scrap the NYSC scheme, reportedly said corps members were part of the national defence policy of Nigeria and could be mobilised for war if need be.
However, the NYSC disclosed that Ibrahim never said corps members were being mobilised for war as being reported by some media outlets.
The statement reads in part, “This is to clarify the misrepresentation of the NYSC Director-General’s recent interview with the media currently trending on the social media.
“The Director-General had stated that in line with the National Defence Policy, Corps Members are like soldiers on reserve, because their education, exposure and sophistication, can make them easily adaptable to military training.
“He charged them to remain focused and patriotic; and prayed for the spirit of NYSC to live in all Nigerians.
“General Ibrahim never at any point said that Corps Members are being mobilised to fight a war. The Scheme shall continue to safeguard the interest of Corps Members at all times.”