State moves to stop attacks on NYSC members

The Oyo State government says it has put in place measures to stop the incessant attacks on NYSC members posted to Ibadan South Local Government Area.

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi represented by  Mr Abayomi Oke, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, said this on Friday at the swearing-in of the 2017 Batch ‘A’ Stream II corps members at the NYSC camp at Iseyin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hoodlums had on many occasions attacked corps members posted to the council area, forcing the NYSC to blacklist the council.

Ajimobi said the government had set up an inter-governmental committee on the development, adding that the situation had been put under control.

“We have set up an inter-governmental committee that will look into it.

“We were supposed to have a meeting on Thursday.  We will work with the NYSC, so, we are on top of it and we are working on it, ‘’  he said.

Ajimobi promised that his administration would do everything within its capacity to ensure a conducive and secure environment for corps members during and after the orientation course.

“I also appeal to all the local government councils and host communities to ensure that corps members are warmly received and taken care of

“This is the only way they will be motivated to give their best in the course of their one-year mandatory service to the nation,’’ he said.

Earlier,  the NYSC Coordinator in the state,  Mrs Ifeoma Anidobi,  said that a total of 1,992 prospective corps members were registered.

READ: Ekiti gets 1,783 corps members

She said this comprised of 1,153 males and 839 females, adding that the state government had already set up machinery to handle the development.

Anidobi also gave an assurance that corps members would now be posted to Ibadan South Local Government Area following the state government’s intervention to ensure security for corps members.

“After we made our report to the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Commissioner for Youth and Sports and other security agencies, they assured us that such issue would not come up again.

“ They are already handling it. In fact, we are supposed to be meeting with the committee set up by the state government, but for this ongoing orientation course.

“ But even without us, they are already carrying on. When the orientation course is over, we will join them to tidy up whatever arrangement they are making.

“We will send corps members to the local government since we can see that the state government is already doing something.

“The governor is doing a lot to ensure that corps members can sleep with their two eyes closed.

“They have given us every assurance that they are going to intensify their surveillance to ensure that the lives and property of these corps members are secured,” she said.