Imo abduction: Sowore calls for immediate scrapping of NYSC

African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has called for the immediate suspension and eventual scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps scheme following the abduction of prospective corps members in Imo State.

Sowore, in a post on X on Saturday, said the incident exposed the risks of compelling graduates to travel across the country for national service. The PUNCH reported that the victims were abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road while travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom.

Reacting, Sowore said the NYSC had “outlived its usefulness in its present form.”

He said, “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.

“The NYSC should be suspended immediately and ultimately scrapped. In the meantime, all corps members should be given the option to serve within their states of origin.”

Sowore proposed replacing the scheme with a two-year voluntary National Job Corps focused on jobs, skills, public works, technology, agriculture, healthcare and education.

“Young Nigerians need jobs, opportunities, skills and security, not compulsory deployment into danger,” he said.