The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has demobilized 54 “graduates” who were illegally mobilized for youth service by the University of Calabar. The Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Eddy Megwa.
According to Ahmed, this action is part of the scheme’s ongoing efforts to prevent unqualified graduates from obtaining the NYSC Certificate of National Service. He stated that the demobilized candidates would be prosecuted accordingly.
Ahmed also mentioned that an additional 19 candidates, who initially registered online for mobilization, have been prevented from participating in the service. Furthermore, four certificates of national service for other culprits were withheld by the scheme.
“This is in addition to the earlier 101 certificates that were recently voided by the scheme, making a total of 178,” he said.
The Director-General commended the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, for her integrity in alerting NYSC about the mobilization of unqualified graduates from the institution.
“The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar reported that she noticed some names on the institution’s list that should not have been there. She reviewed the list the school provided, and I informed her that their certificates would be invalidated. I give kudos to the Vice-Chancellor,” Ahmed stated.
“Previously, a bread seller was mobilized on the graduation list from the same institution. There are bad actors in many places who generate matriculation numbers and courses for their candidates,” the Director-General added.
Ahmed, however, emphasized that NYSC would leave no stone unturned in sanitizing its mobilization process. He also stated that the scheme would strengthen its collaboration with all Heads of Corps Producing Institutions and relevant stakeholders across the country to curb this menace.
He added that any failure in the mobilization process from any school reflects on the integrity of the management of such institutions.
“Those responsible for entering the data of graduates should be people of integrity,” he said.
He called on employers to verify the authenticity of NYSC certificates presented for job placement.
