The management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has suspended the Community Development Service (CDS), crowded gatherings, including physical monthly clearance and other activities by corps members serving in South-East Nigeria over heightened insecurity in the region.

The suspension of the normal routine activities usually engaged in by serving corps members, minimising how they put on their uniforms while moving around within the region, was sequel to a threat by gunmen alleged to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to kidnap corps members in South-East and use them as bane for the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Nigerian government, SaharaReporters can report.

A corps member serving in Ebonyi state told SaharaReporters that the NYSC management suspended the activities and putting on of their uniforms after an intelligence report from the Nigerian Army claimed that IPOB was planning to kidnap corps members serving in the South-East and use them to bargain for the release of Kanu.

The corps member, whose identity cannot be revealed for security reasons said, “There was an intelligence report from the army that IPOB was planning to kidnap corps members serving in the South-East and use them to bargain for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

“So NYSC banned corps members in the East from putting on a NYSC uniform, and banned CDS activities till date. Corps members were equally not allowed to gather in large numbers.

“Even during POP of any batch, their certificates are usually given to them on Sunday preceding the Thursday of the POP, and the certificates are given in churches. Passing out corps members do go on mufti to get the certificate.”

The State Coordinator of the NYSC in Ebonyi State, Mr. Oladeindi Foluke, who confirmed the situation, told SaharaReporters that the NYSC National Directorate headquarters in Abuja gave the directive across the entire South-East region following the alleged threat.

Confirming the situation, Foluke said that the situation is to the extent that in Ebonyi State, she resorted to always making proper arrangements with transport companies and transport unions to be sure of drivers conveying corps members from orientation course camp to their Places of Primary Assignment and other destinations, while they constantly keep in contact with the corps members till they get to their destinations.

She said, “Because of insecurity in the South-East, we have not been doing clearance. We have not been allowing them to put on uniforms. We have not been gathering them for anything that will show the world that they are corps members.

“There was a letter that was going round from IPOB that they want to use corps members for ransom to release Nnamdi Kanu. They went to Enugu to hold that meeting.

“Since that time, the authority, even the security in Ebonyi and the whole of South-East, we had to contact the DSS, contact the army, contact the commissioner of police, contact the necessary security agents in collaboration with us, and they all agreed that for now, everything should be on low key. Directive also came from Abuja from our national directorate headquarters.

“As a case may be, no clearance. No CDS activities for the whole of the South-East. We don’t gather, even for their Passing Out. At least we have passed out several sets. Giving them their certificates has been on low key. We have our own method of sharing the certificate of national service.

“Even when they come to the headquarters or zonal offices or local government offices, we don’t allow them to wear uniforms. If you see any corps member in uniform, it is a relocated corps member who is just coming to the South-East, who does not know about this law.

“Because of the camp, we sensitise them on that. When we see anybody on the road in uniform, you see us even telling them, ‘please do something. This is what is obtainable here. That is how it has been happening.”

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters’ findings showed that though insecurity has become a nationwide challenge, the NYSC management did not give such a directive or implement such strategy in the North-East, North-West, ravaged by bandits and terrorists, or in the South South, South West and North Central.

A corps member serving in the South South, particularly in Benue State told SaharaReporters, “Well, here in the Middle Belt, the situation is quite different, especially here in Benue State, every activity is ongoing.

“Although we have security challenges in some local government areas such as Gwer East local government area, Naka axis, most especially the Tiv tribe domicile regions across the state where herdsmen attack is pronounced.

“But the NYSC state officials are paying deaf ears, they keep saying insecurity is a national phenomenon rather than being mindful of the life of corpers serving within those regions across the state.“They make the general public feel everything is alright despite the height of insecurity across the state.

“They really ought to have a similar directive on corpers’ activities here in Benue State but the NYSC state officials won’t let it fly.

“In fact NYSC service in Benue state is a rhetoric medley that needs to be reviewed with immediate effects to ensure safety of every corpers serving in Benue state.”

For North-West and North Central, a source who is familiar with the situation said, “Northwest, No. I was there lately, and my neighbour in Sokoto is serving and I have seen him several times wearing the uniform and going for activities. North Central is in the same situation. Same story in the South West.”