Victor EzejaMANAGEMENT of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied expressly advising corps members travelling on high-risk roads to get family members or friends or colleague that would be on standby to pay off ransom in case they are kidnapped by bandits.
NYSC had during the last orientation exercise for its batch B stream 2, issued corps members across the country a handbook titled, “Security Awareness and Education Handbook For Corps Members and Staff.” A clause on page 56 of the handbook had advised corps members travelling on “high-risk” roads to inform their “family members, friends and colleagues in order to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded” in case they are kidnapped.
The handbook listed such security risk roads as Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene, or Aba-Port Harcourt Roads.
The clause reads, “When traveling in high risk roads such as Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene or Aba-Port Harcourt Roads, then alert your family members, friends and colleagues in order to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded.”
The scheme however, denied giving the advice, referring to the publication as fake and was the work of mischief makers. But copies of the handbook are in possession of corps members who participated in the orientation exercise and are currently serving.
Another section of the handbook, specifically on page 57, titled, “Advisory Action When Kidnapped Or Taken Hostage,” offered advice to corps members on what to do when taken hostage for safety reasons.
It partly reads, “Do not antagonize your captors, be polite and operate with reasonable regards. Give reasonable cooperation to your abductors.
“Establish personal relationship with your abductors as soon as possible.
“The kidnappers may ask for contact persons, do not mention your place of work, but your close friends and parents. They will reach them to negotiate for your release.
“Advise your friends involved in the negotiations, they should be friendly with the captors.
“Take no risk by attempting to escape. DO NOT BE A HERO.
“Make no statement to the media after your release without official clearance but share your experience with close associates.”
In the statement, NYSC however, claimed that “the clause quoted is not embedded in NYSC Security Tips pamphlet which was put together by a highly respected retired security expert.”
The statement titled, ‘Rebuttal’, reads:
“The attention of Management of the National Youth Service Corps has been drawn to a fake release making the rounds on the social media to the effect that Corps Members travelling on ‘high risk roads’ should alert their families, friends and colleagues in order to have somebody to pay off the ransom that could be demanded in the event of being kidnapped.
“Management wishes to emphatically state that the clause quoted is not embedded in NYSC Security Tips pamphlet which was put together by a highly respected retired security expert.
“Management wishes to appeal to the general public to always clarify issues with the Scheme. Please, be wary of falling prey to the antics of mischief makers out to ridicule the Scheme.
“Management shall continue to prioritize the security and welfare of Corps Members and staff at all times.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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