MURIC Demands NYSC Suspension, Full-Year Pay for 20 Freed Corps Members

The Islamic human rights group wants the Federal Government to halt the scheme until insecurity is brought under control and grant the freed corps members immediate discharge certificates.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme until insecurity is brought under control, following the release of 20 corps members kidnapped in Imo State.

The Islamic human rights organisation also demanded the immediate discharge of the 20 corps members, including the issuance of their discharge certificates and payment of allowances equivalent to a full year of national service.

MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the demands in a press statement dated October 9, 2026, following the release of the corps members, who the organisation said had spent one week in captivity.

While expressing gratitude to Allah for their safe return and congratulating their parents, Akintola said the incident raised concerns about the safety of young Nigerians participating in the national service scheme.

He said the experience of the freed corps members, alongside similar incidents involving other participants, underscored insecurity as a major challenge facing the programme.

“We cannot but conclude that the scheme’s greatest challenge is insecurity. We are of the opinion that our young ones do not deserve this punishment,” Akintola said.

He argued that the Federal Government had a responsibility to protect corps members, describing its obligation as in loco parentis, in the place of a parent.

“However, in view of the apparent inability to do this, at least presently, we demand the suspension of the NYSC scheme until FG is able to take full control of the security situation in the country,” he said.

MURIC further demanded that the 20 corps members receive allowances equivalent to what they would have earned throughout the 2026/2027 service year as compensation for their ordeal.

The organisation said it did not want to dwell on the controversy surrounding the circumstances of their release, expressing gratitude for their safety while calling for measures to protect other corps members from similar experiences.

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

SONSORED