Chapter one

Introduction

1.1       Background of the study

Different programs have been launched over the years in Nigeria and other parts of the world to serve and combat a specific situation. These programs were aimed at a specific group of people, such as adolescents, youths, teenagers, the elderly, trained, non-educated, and even physically disabled people, in order to reduce insecurity, increase food production, and reduce unemployment, among other things. The National Youth Service Corps is one of those youth-oriented programs that has been implemented. The Nigerian government formed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to engage fresh Nigerian graduates of tertiary institutions in national growth. The National Youth Service Corps, according to Agumagu, Adesope, and Mathews-Njoku (2006), is a one-year program designed to integrate graduates of tertiary institutions into other geographical regions of the country. This was carried out in order to promote national unity. According to Maduawuchi (2019), the country was filled with so much strife and tribal segregation during the early years after Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom that the Nigerian government sought to foster peace and unity among Nigerians, beginning with the youths, through a program that eliminated cultural and geographic bias. Following the Nigerian-Biafran War, which lasted from 1963 to 1970, the Federal Military Government, led by General Yakubu Gowon, set out to rebuild Nigeria using the 3Rs – Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was founded by Decree No. 24 on May 22, 1973, thanks to this 3Rs program. According to Decree No. 24, the aim of implementing NYSC was to build communities and foster national peace through youths (NYSC Handbook, 1996). With these goals in mind, the decree specified categorically that all graduates from tertiary institutions such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education should be posted to other states within Nigeria to serve their fatherland in the form of a national assignment. Graduates could not serve in their biological state of origin because of the nature of the assignment (Ogundele, Sofoluwe&Kayode, 2012). In order to accommodate these graduates for this activity, each state of the federation has its own "Orientation Camp." They spent three weeks at this camp, where they were subjected to paramilitary exercises and training in order to keep them physically fit and ready for their national service year. Soldiers oversee these trainings (Army). The "Endurance Trek," which allows you to trek over a long distance, is one of the main exercises in which corps members participate. The goal was to get the person in shape so that he or she could trek most of the time when transportation wasn't available or to save money. They are posted to various locations or sectors within the states to carry out their primary mission, where they stay and work for the remainder of the service year. Educational institutions (such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education), banks, the judiciary, factories, hospitals, state and federal secretariats, and Local Government Councils are only a few of the sectors or locations where they are stationed. The service year comes to a close with a Passing Out Parade (POP), at which each corps member is eligible and certifies that they have completed the mandatory national service year. The federal government's reasoning at the time was to assign fresh graduates to serve as corps members in a new state or city, where they could engage with the locals, learn their ways of life, make friends, and even marry. As a result, there will be cultural integration; tribalism will be less of an issue, and issues associated with disunity will be properly addressed.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Nigeria is beset by insecurity, as evidenced by the high rates of murder, abduction, theft, and cultism, among other things. As a result, the House of Representatives is considering abolishing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which was founded by the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon forty-eight years ago. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020, is scheduled for second reading in the House. The bill aims to repeal the NYSC Act, which is the scheme's enabling legislation. In an explanatory memorandum for the measure, Representative Awaji-Inombek Abiante, the bill's sponsor, outlined arguments for considering the scheme's discontinuation. “This bill seeks to abolish Section 315(5)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended) on the following grounds:” read part of the memorandum.

“Incessant killing of innocent corps members in some parts of the country due to banditry, religious extremism, and ethnic violence; incessant kidnapping of innocent corps members across the country;” Public and private agencies/departments are no longer recruiting able and qualified Nigerian youths, relying heavily on the availability of corps members who are not well remunerated and genocide victims;

“Due to insecurity across the country, the National Youth Service Corps management is now considering posting corps members to their geopolitical zone, thus defeating one of the service corps' objectives, namely, developing common ties among Nigerian youths and promoting national unity and integration.” The NYSC was established by Decree No. 24 of 1973. While it achieved its target of national integration in its early stages, the scheme has faced growing challenges in recent decades, ranging from instability to funding cuts. Many people have called for the NYSC to be abolished, claiming that it is no longer useful.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

I.         To know the motive behind the kidnaps.

II.      To assess how corps members are being identified.

III.   To assess if protection has been put in-place by the government for severing corps members in each state.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.         What is the motive for kidnapping corps members?

ii.      How are corps members identified?

iii.   What protection has the government put in place for severing corps members in each state?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research topic would be beneficial to the government because it would provide insight into why corps members are being abducted as well as safety precautions to take.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research study concentrates solely on the incessant kidnapping and killing of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of the NYSC Act.The thesis was carried out in Maiduguri, Borno state.

1.7       LIMITATION OF STUDY

The study was constrained by time constraints and a lack of research materials.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

Incessant: never stopping

Kidnapping: the action of abducting someone and holding them captive.

Killing: an act of causing death, especially deliberately.

corps members:Corps is much more usual, meaning that someone is a member of a military unit or an organized group.

NYSC: The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government to involve Nigerian graduates in nation building and the development of the country.

REFERENCES

Agumagu, A.C., Adesope, O.M. & Mathew-Njoku, E. (2006). Attitude of Youth Corpers Towards the Community Development Service of National Youth Service Corp in Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Social Research, 6(1), 70-75.

Maduawuchi, O. (2019). History of NYSC in Nigeria: When NYSC Started and Purpose. Retrieved from https//nigeriainfopedia.com.ng//history-of-nysc-in-nigeria/ on 28/12/2019.

National Youth Service Corps Hand Book (1996). History and Objectives of the National Youth Service Corps.

Ogundele, M.O., Sofoluwe, A.O. &Kayode, D.J. (2012). Integrating Entrepreneurship Skills Acquisition in to National Youths Service Corps Programme in Nigeria. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Management, 2(3), 24-28.

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