National Youth Service Corps on Friday denied reports that the Director-General of the scheme, Brig. Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim said youth corps members were being mobilised for war.
However, responding, the body said its Director-General’s recent interview was misinterpreted.
Ibrahim, appearing on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme on Wednesday, had said corps members were part of the reserve defence system of Nigeria while reacting to moves to scrap the scheme.
“They are part of the national defence policy of this country. So, where there is serious war, our corps members are educated, they are knowledgeable and they can be trained.
“You see the drill and so on,” had said.
He further stated that corp members are moulded like soldiers within the short period of three weeks in the orientation camps,
He said, “You see female corps members blowing the army horn, playing with the military band.
“So, if not for the knowledge, where are you going to mobilise such young Nigerians to train them quickly to put in their best for the country? So, corps members are on reserve. They are also part of the national defence policy.”
The statement made by the DG elicited different reactions on social media with many making jest of the statement.
NYSC, however, claimed that its director-general was quoted out of context.
The Scheme said in a statement, “This is to clarify the misrepresentation of the NYSC Director-General’s recent interview with the media currently trending on the social media.
“The Director-General had stated that in line with the National Defence Policy, Corps Members are like soldiers on reserve, because their education, exposure and sophistication, can make them easily adaptable to military training.”