Coming on the heels of the official confirmation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Brigadier General Kunle Nafiu as the new Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), with immediate effect, the leading civil society platform in Nigeria: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has welcomed the appointment of such a young, vibrant, vastly educated and resourceful military officer to head the NYSC at this moment.
HURIWA has therefore charged the new DG to focus basically on improving the welfare, well-being and personal security of corpers mobilised for the yearly national service by the NYSC and work out strategic measures to stamp out the increasing cases of kidnappings of prospective corpers across Nigeria which have instigated several calls for the closure of the NYSC programme from a cross section of the public.
“The personal security of corpers must become such a strategic component of the mandate of the new DG. The unprecedented rate of violent attacks against corpers are issues of serious concerns to all patriotic citizens and it is our expectation that a foolproof security initiative should be introduced to protect corpers in their places of primary assignments just as there has to be a much more secure modalities for the deployment of corpers. There should be a strategic approach towards finding a workable solution to the heightened state of insecurity particularly with regards to corpers. It is a national embarrassment that corpers are kidnapped on their ways to camps as have happened in recent times and worst still is the fact that the corpers kidnapped are left alone to their misfortune to find financial resources to buy back their freedoms from the terrorists kidnappers.”
HURIWA recalled that prior to this appointment, Brig. Gen. Nafiu was the Chief of Staff to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede, and previously held the same position under the late Lt. General Raised Abiodun Lagbaja.
Described in military circles as a seasoned Artillery Officer and a member of the 47 Regular Course, Nafiu is an alumnus of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.
His military career includes a tenure as a Directing Staff at the Nigerian Army War College.
Originally from Ileogbo in Aiyedire Local Government Area of Osun State, Nafiu now steps in to lead the NYSC, succeeding Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed.
HURIWA which commended the appointment of the new Director-General, however stated that the agenda of the new head of the NYSC should mostly be focused on restoration of public confidence and trust in the scheme especially given the widespread cases of kidnappings of corpers just as the Rights group said the new DG must find a way to start the implementation of the reviewed monthly allowance of N77,000 rather than a continuation of the payment of the N33,000 which as at February 2025 was paid to corpers even after been told to expect the new allowance.
The Rights group said in a statement by the National coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko that the new DG of NYSC should sustain and advance the many innovative milestones made by some of the past DGs especially the establishment of the Television, Radio stations and several viable business ventures that have yielded generous revenues into the Treasury Single Account. The principles of transparency and accountability should also be the watchword of the new DG.
“We expect the new DG to work with credible stakeholders including civil society groups, and of course the minister of youth development to see to the establishment of the NYSC youth Trust Fund for the expansions and comprehensive improvement of standards of facilities and staff welfare. The new DG is expected to focus on human capital development and governance just as he should partner with credible civil society groups to promote the mandates of the NYSC. The workload is heavy for the new DG and we expect that he will immediately hit the ground running.”
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko,
National Coordinator,
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). 03/03/2025.
