Presidential aspirant says scheme has “outlived its usefulness,” proposes voluntary National Job Corps
Activist and presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore has called for the immediate suspension and eventual abolition of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), following the reported abduction of young Nigerians travelling to orientation camps along the Owerri–Onitsha Road.
In a statement posted on his X account, Sowore said the incident again exposes the dangers of compelling young people to travel across an increasingly insecure country for national service.
“You cannot force young Nigerians to serve their fatherland when the same country cannot guarantee their safety while they travel to their places of service,” he said.
Sowore noted that his opposition to the scheme in its present form is longstanding, dating back to 2019, when he first contested the presidency. He maintained that the NYSC has outlived its usefulness.
As an interim measure, he urged authorities to allow all corps members to serve within their states of origin, arguing that no young Nigerian should be made to travel hundreds of kilometres into unfamiliar and insecure territory to meet a compulsory service requirement.
Sowore also outlined his alternative plan should he win the presidency in 2027. He said his administration would replace the NYSC with a two-year voluntary National Job Corps, focused on real employment and skills development. The programme would cover public works, technology, agriculture, healthcare, education and other national priorities.
“Young Nigerians need jobs, opportunities, skills and security, not compulsory deployment into danger,” he said.
He concluded with a call for urgent action: “The time to suspend the NYSC is now. The time to scrap this outdated scheme has come.”
The NYSC, established to promote national unity and integration, requires Nigerian graduates under the age of 30 to complete a year of national service. The scheme has faced repeated criticism over the safety of corps members, particularly amid the country’s ongoing security challenges.
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