Concerned about growing insecurity across the country, the Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria has urged the federal government to reconsider where National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are being posted.
According to the PTA, deploying young graduates to regions facing violent attacks puts their lives at risk and undermines the purpose of national service.
Speaking on the matter, PTA President Alhaji Haruna Danjuma stressed that ensuring the safety of corps members must come before tradition or policy. He noted that recent violence in parts of the North and Middle Belt shows a troubling disconnect between security realities and NYSC deployment choices.
Despite earlier government assurances that high-risk areas would no longer receive corps members, new postings suggest otherwise. In recent months, corps members have arrived in communities shortly after those same areas experienced attacks, raising questions about enforcement and coordination.
Danjuma also raised concerns about the physical toll and dangers of long-distance travel for young Nigerians posted to remote or volatile areas. He called for practical changes, including reviewing travel distances and ensuring better protection for those sent to less secure locations.
For the PTA, the message is clear: national service should not come at the cost of any young person’s life.
