***Calls for Youth Safety First
The death of 26-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Chidiebere Orji, in a bomb explosion in Maiduguri has reignited fierce national debate over the future of Nigeria’s decades-old youth service scheme, with the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) calling for sweeping reforms—or outright scrapping of the programme.
In a strongly worded reaction, HURIWA’s national Cordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko described Orji’s death as a painful reminder of what it termed a “systemic failure” to protect young Nigerians deployed in high-risk environments under the NYSC scheme.
The corps member, an indigene of Amurri in Enugu State, was among victims of a deadly blast in the insurgency-hit Borno State capital. His burial in his hometown drew emotional scenes, as grief turned into renewed outrage over the circumstances surrounding his death.
HURIWA said the tragedy underscored a troubling pattern of insecurity, poor risk assessment, and inadequate protection for corps members serving across the country—particularly in volatile regions.
The group recalled that the NYSC, established in 1973 following the Nigerian Civil War, was designed to promote national unity, foster integration, and encourage youth participation in national development. However, it argued that nearly five decades later, the scheme has failed to meet these core objectives in any meaningful way.
Instead, HURIWA contended, the programme has increasingly exposed young graduates to dangers ranging from terrorism and kidnapping to road accidents linked to poor logistics and institutional neglect.
According to the group, several corps members have been abducted in recent years, with some held for prolonged periods without decisive government action, while others have lost their lives in avoidable circumstances.
The association also criticized what it described as bureaucratic inefficiencies and weak leadership within the Ministry of Youth Development and the NYSC Directorate, saying these shortcomings have contributed to the deterioration of the scheme.
HURIWA further claimed that a recent opinion poll it conducted showed that as much as 85 percent of Nigerians support the abolition of the NYSC, citing concerns over safety and relevance in today’s socio-economic environment.
“The gruesome killing of Chidiebere Orji by terrorists in Borno State is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern of negligence and systemic failure,” the group said.
It added that Nigerian youths, many of whom are supported through significant family sacrifices to obtain education, should not be exposed to life-threatening risks under a programme meant to serve as a bridge to national development.
The group also raised alarm over what it described as the continued posting of corps members to high-risk areas without adequate security measures, emergency response systems, or proper risk evaluation—calling the practice reckless and unacceptable.
Calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act decisively, HURIWA urged the Federal Government to either unbundle and restructure the NYSC into a safer, more efficient framework or consider scrapping it entirely.
It insisted that any reform must prioritize the safety, dignity, and welfare of Nigerian youths, arguing that the current structure no longer aligns with modern realities.
HURIWA warned that failure to address these concerns would only lead to further avoidable tragedies and deepen public distrust in government institutions.
The group concluded by calling for a reimagined national youth engagement framework that reflects current security challenges while still promoting unity and national development.
It urged authorities to honour the memory of Chidiebere Orji and others who have lost their lives by ensuring that no Nigerian youth is ever again exposed to such risks under the guise of national service.
