NYSC mobilization : Students lament ban on universities

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has banned Benue State
University and the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, from sending
their students for the mandatory year of service.

It was gathered that the scheme placed the two-year ban on the schools
following discovery of negli­gence and evidences of age manipulation.

However, in reaction, the Vice Chancellor of Benue State University,
Professor Moses Kembe, during a meeting with the Scheme pleaded for
leniency.

Kembe had in the meeting which ended in a deadlock, maintained that
the university management was not involved in age manipulation. He
explained that the age limits were manipulated by students.

Findings by DAILY POST on Monday showed that graduates of the affected
Universities were denied access to the NYSC registration portal.

One of the affected graduates, Issac Mbanefo, while calling on the
scheme to lift the ban and punish only the culprits involved, told our
correspondent that it was wrong for the NYSC to victimize innocent
students for an offence committed by a few.

He said, "How do you correct an offence by placing a ban on innocent
students, what do you want them to do at home for two years? In a
country where you cannot get a decent job without NYSC, do you expect
our parents to continue feeding us?"

Another graduate, identified as Matthew Eboh said, "Sometimes I feel
NYSC does not understand the plight of the common Nigerian, how
logical is it to place a ban that will affect innocent students for
two years, why don't they ban the suspected students instead of the
whole school? I doubt if they thought of this decision."

Also one Martha Prosper said, "The ban is not right, some innocent
ones might be above service age when the ban is suspended. NYSC should
make their findings and punish the culprits alone."

Below are some comments DAILY POST gathered on the issue from Facebook.

Stephen Shasu, "The NYSC is further exposing itself to ridicule with
such a hasty and ill-informed decision. Someone or persons were
responsible for that action and those to be affected by the ban were
certainly unaware of the abnormality."

Ter Lawrence, "Its laziness on the part of the NYSC, it is their
responsibility to verify age and probably investigate cases of
falsification. Generalisation is not a good measure as innocent
persons will definitely be the majority of those affected especially
considering the ages of most undergraduates.

Ben Pever, "On the NYSC Ban on BSU, the NYSC should limit its
punishment to only the culprits. Why are they punishing the innocent
majority for the offence of a few? The innocent students who are
affected should not just keep quiet. Approach the courts for judicial
review. Petition the National Assembly. The action of the NYSC
Management is unacceptable and ought to be challenged."

Vitalis Alabi, "I never believed this news but if happened that the
news is true, then how can they punish the innocent students; forgery
is an offence against the law; so if some students forged their age in
order to go for NYSC, they should be arrested and prosecuted in the
law court and if the authority is aware but didn't fish out those
responsible, they should also be arrested and prosecuted for abbeting
crime instead of punishing the whole students."

Okworo sunnybase: I think this is political, they want to intimidate
us in Benue, it is because of the anti grazing law but we are not
afraid. I think NANS should wade into this because NYSC have 101 ways
of curbing any form of fraudulent practice and not punish everybody
for one man's sin."

Ogwuba Onche: "This is not the best measure, if anyone is caught let
the person face the penalty instead of tying others down. In fact
Nigeria has a long way to go with this kind of funy laws."