The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, has said corps members are part of the national defence policy of Nigeria and that where they is a serious war, they can be trained for use.
The NYSC boss said this when he appeared on Channels TV.
While reacting to plans by some lawmakers to scrap the NYSC scheme which is compulsory for all Nigerian students who graduate before the age of 30, Ibrahim said;
“Corps members are on reserve. 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.
“You can imagine within the short three weeks in the orientation camps, the corps members are moulded. They are like soldiers. 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.”