The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has urged the Nigerian Army to enhance security for corps members who will serve as ad hoc electoral officials in the 2027 general elections.
Nafiu emphasised that corps members must be protected before, during and after the elections, explaining that their role in the electoral process requires adequate security guarantees.
He made the appeal during a courtesy visit to Major General Adebayo Babalola, the General Officer Commanding, GOC, of the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division.
Nafiu said corps members would assist the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in conducting the 2027 polls, making their safety a key concern for the NYSC.
He congratulated Babalola on his appointment and commended his commitment to the welfare of corps members serving in the Division.
Nafiu also praised the GOC for prioritising the training, mentorship and professional development of young officers under his command.
He equally thanked the 81 Division for ensuring a safe environment for NYSC activities throughout its areas of operation in Lagos and Ogun states.
According to him, the comparatively peaceful security conditions in both states are due to the professionalism, experience and commitment of the military and other security agencies.
Highlighting Lagos’s significance to the NYSC, Nafiu noted that the state hosts approximately 20 per cent of corps members nationwide, as between 45,000 and 48,000 corps members are posted to Lagos each year.
He also noted that Lagos and Ogun are among the few states where the NYSC can post corps members to every local government area, unlike some regions where insecurity has made such deployments impossible.
"Lagos and Ogun states are some of the States in the country where we deploy Corps Members to all the local government areas. This is unlike some other states where security challenges have made it impossible for us to deploy to certain local government areas," he said.
Nafiu maintained that the NYSC had continued to benefit from the favourable security atmosphere created by the military formation, which has enabled the Scheme to carry out its responsibilities without major disruptions.
He subsequently praised the officers and soldiers of the 81 Division for their efforts in safeguarding corps members and sustaining a peaceful environment for NYSC operations.
Responding, Major General Babalola described Nafiu's appointment as Director-General of the NYSC well deserved, while acknowledging the continued cooperation and support the Lagos State NYSC Secretariat had extended to the military.
The GOC assured the NYSC leadership that the Division would sustain its partnership with the Scheme, emphasising that the protection and welfare of corps members remained a priority.