Opinion
Youth Corpers And Challenge of Postings
Is the indefinite suspension of orientation course for Batch ‘C’ corps members in Borno and Yobe States an indication that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is now ready to consider calls by concerned Nigerians that some volatile areas of the north are not safe for the young graduates?
The NYSC in a statement last Wednesday announced the indefinite suspension due to last Friday’s bombing of drinking joints, churches, mosques and police stations in Yobe and Borno States by the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, which killed about 150 peoples.
A statement made available to newsmen reads: “Owing to security reasons, the orientation course will not hold in Borno and Yobe States until further notice”.
It is surprising to hear that corps members were posted to Borno despite the insecurity situation there which made some state governors to bring back their indigenes residing in that state recently.
It is still fresh in our memories how about 42 corps members were butchered in some northern states in connection with the last April general elections.
Youth corps members, serving as adhoc Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff were on April 8, at the INEC office in Suleja, Niger State, to check their postings for election duties the following day when a bomb blast there killed 11 people instantly and injured about 28 others.
In Bauchi, many corps members were killed and some others attacked by hoodlums in riots that followed the April 16 presidential election.
Indeed, President Goodluck Jonathan compensated the families of the slain in Bauchi with N5m each. That was followed few days ago by the handing of N655.000.00insurnce compensation to the families of the 42 heroes.
But as a family member of one of the deceased corps members said: “We appreciate the money given to us today, but no amount of money can compensate for the lives of our children. No amount is worth risking their lives all in the name of service to the nation”.
It was good news to many when NYSC Director-General, Brig. Gen. Nnamdi Okorie-Affia, said that corps members may not be allowed to serve as adhoc staff in the remaining govenorship and local government elections if there is no guarantee for their safety and well being. He told INEC chairman, Prof Atthiru Jega, “We cannot continue to jeopardise the investment parents make on their wards on the altar of insecurity. We cannot continue risking their lives. Killing of corps members is not part of the agenda of the scheme”.
The NYSC DG further said that unless grey areas in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the scheme before the commencement of the April elections is revisited and adjusted, the NYSC may be forced to prevent the corps members from participating in the exercise.
Safety of corps members should indeed be of utmost importance to the scheme, INEC and the leaders of the country. No doubt, national integration is one of the motives of the scheme but for this to be achieved, corps members need to be assured of their security. They have to be alive to achieve the unity of the nation.
The activities of Boko Haram have become a tropical issue in Nigeria today. Their clandenstine mode of operation seems to be overwhelming the Nigerian security agencies who are not even spared.
The sect claimed responsibility for the killing of the low and the mighty. They have rendered many people homeless, made many children orphans and many women widows. What then is the guarantee that they will spare the youth corps members, custodians of the western education which they detest so much?
In the recent past, quite a number of serving corps members had been killed in sectarian attacks in Jos, Plateau State and others have fallen prey to hoodlums who engage in criminal acts like kidnapping. This has further increased fears and apprehension of parents, guardians and corps members over the safety of these youth as they carry out the mandatory service to their fatherland.
In the face of the security challenges, the NYSC DG and other heads of the scheme should seek the support of security agencies to provide adequate security for the corps members especially if they must play specific, important roles for the nation.
Perpetrators of the April 2011 crime should be brought to justice. Allowing them to go unpunished will mean great injustice to the families of the slain heroes.
Most importantly, the scheme should consider the request made by some concerned Nigerians especially parents and corps members that corps members should no longer be posted to volatile areas.
Although security agencies in the country claim to be on top of the ugly situation , it is important that the posting of corps members to the volatile states in the north remain suspended until the poor security situation improves.
At this point, it is instructive to deprive any state of corps members that cannot guarantee their security. The lives of these future leaders of the country is dear to us. No effort should be spared to protect them.
Calista Ezeaku
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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