Six days to the governorship and state Houses of
Assembly elections, National Youth Service Corps members are fleeing
crisis-prone local government areas in some states in the north.
Investigations by our correspondents on Thursday also the corps showed that many of members, especially in Katsina and Bauchi states, are taking refuge in army barracks and the NYSC orientation camps.
Some are even believed to have travelled out of states like Kano, Borno and Kaduna out of fear that they were no longer safe.
In Katsina State, for instance, traumatised corps members have deserted Daura, the hometown of the Congress for Progressive Change presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and other crisis-prone towns such as Funtua, Kankari, Jibia and Malumfashipita.
It was learnt that armed security agents escorted seven commercial buses that conveyed the corps members from Daura to the state NYSC orientation camp in Katsina.
The corps members who had spent three nights at the Daura police station were said to have contributed N150 each for the trip.
Violent protesters had set the ‘corpers lodge’ known as Danbuka Local Education Authority Lodge, in Daura ablaze on Sunday in the orgy of violence that gripped the state after the poll.
One of our correspondents, who visited the NYSC orientation camp in Katsina observed that there were over 500 corps members there. More reportedly arrived the camp from different parts of the state after our correspondent left at about 4pm on Thursday.
Corps members, who acted as presiding officers in the presidential elections, were mostly the target of attacks in many communities in the North.
One of them, who gave his name simply as Ikenna, said he lost everything he had.
“We cannot go back to that place (Daura). We cannot risk our lives because of the N7,000 that INEC will pay us.” Ikenna said.
Another corps member added that but for a friendly taxi driver, who alerted them, they would have been burnt alive.
“He (taxi driver) started shouting in front of our lodge that ‘they (rioters) are coming, they are coming,’ but we didn’t know what he was talking about until they nearly got to us,” he said, declining to give his name.
In Funtua, another NYSC member, who pleaded anonymity, said he saw the charred remains of a neighbour who shared a building with him after the house had been burnt by the rioters.
He said that he managed to flee and vowed never to go back to Funtua.
“I just want to go back home. All my credentials are gone. As it is, the only property I have is my mobile phone,” he lamented.
The story was the same from the other corps members from Malumfashi, Kankara and Jibia.
Anjolaoluwa, a female corps members from Oyo State, said she might never recover from the trauma.
Amidst tears, she told one of our correspondents how rampaging youths attached their residence in Funtua and burnt down the place.
“Many of them just came and started beating us. We had to jump over the fence and ran to the main road. I lost everything, including my certificates and laptop,” she said.
The state Coordinator of the NYSC, Mallam Abdul Taura, who declined to respond to inquiries was at the orientation camp on Thursday afternoon to address the corps members.
Taura told them that they were safe as security was guaranteed at the camp.
In Bauchi State, corps members also deserted the troubled areas in the state for fear of further attacks by irate youths.
This came just as Governor Isah Yuguda assured them of adequate security in the state. He also relocated over 150 of them to the State Security Service Training School for safety.
One of our correspondents, who visited the state secretariat of the NYSC on Thursday morning, met the premises deserted except for a few workers who were going about their official duties.
One of the workers, said, “Today (Thursday) is supposed to be their CDS (Community Development Service) day but as you can see, none of them is around. Since it is no longer safe for them to move around, it is better they stay where they will be safe.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amana Abakasanga, had confirmed the death of four corps members in the hands of the rampaging youths.
Abakasanga said 26 out of 51 corps members posted to Jammare, Giade, Misau, Azare, Dambam and Itas Gadu were rescued by the police and another 20 still missing.
But some of the corps members said at least 11 of their colleagues had so far been murdered in the crisis.
One of them said they had “decided not to take part in the election again since the government cannot protect us.”
He also claimed that they had not been paid the money promised them by INEC.
The fate of the ‘missing’ corps members was still unknown as at press time on Thursday.
Yuguda had in a statement assured the corps members of the determination of his administration to protect their lives and property.
The governor, who pleaded with the corps members to be calm, also condoled with the NYSC and the parents of those that were killed in Kano Staste. The NYSC members are currently taking refuge in army barracks in Bompai and Horoto police barracks.
When one of our correspondents visited the headquarters of the NYSC in Maitama, Abuja, the members of staff were mourning.
Most them, who clustered in and around the lobby of the building were overheard discussing the deaths of some of the NYSC members in hushed tunes.
Reports say hoodlums protesting the defeat of Buhari in the April 16 Presidential election killed 200 people in six northern states.
When contacted on the threat by some corps members to boycott the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for Tuesday, the NYSC Deputy Director (Public Relations), Mrs. Chynwe Ojukwu, said the issues involved revolved around policy.
“The Director-General (Maj.-Gen. Ismaila Tsiga) has travelled to Bauchi to assess the situation. When he comes back and is ready to make any pronouncement, we will let you know.”
By Niyi Odebode, Olamilekan Lartey, Sunday Ojeme and John Alechenu Courtesy Of: Punch
Investigations by our correspondents on Thursday also the corps showed that many of members, especially in Katsina and Bauchi states, are taking refuge in army barracks and the NYSC orientation camps.
Some are even believed to have travelled out of states like Kano, Borno and Kaduna out of fear that they were no longer safe.
In Katsina State, for instance, traumatised corps members have deserted Daura, the hometown of the Congress for Progressive Change presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and other crisis-prone towns such as Funtua, Kankari, Jibia and Malumfashipita.
It was learnt that armed security agents escorted seven commercial buses that conveyed the corps members from Daura to the state NYSC orientation camp in Katsina.
The corps members who had spent three nights at the Daura police station were said to have contributed N150 each for the trip.
Violent protesters had set the ‘corpers lodge’ known as Danbuka Local Education Authority Lodge, in Daura ablaze on Sunday in the orgy of violence that gripped the state after the poll.
One of our correspondents, who visited the NYSC orientation camp in Katsina observed that there were over 500 corps members there. More reportedly arrived the camp from different parts of the state after our correspondent left at about 4pm on Thursday.
Corps members, who acted as presiding officers in the presidential elections, were mostly the target of attacks in many communities in the North.
One of them, who gave his name simply as Ikenna, said he lost everything he had.
“We cannot go back to that place (Daura). We cannot risk our lives because of the N7,000 that INEC will pay us.” Ikenna said.
Another corps member added that but for a friendly taxi driver, who alerted them, they would have been burnt alive.
“He (taxi driver) started shouting in front of our lodge that ‘they (rioters) are coming, they are coming,’ but we didn’t know what he was talking about until they nearly got to us,” he said, declining to give his name.
In Funtua, another NYSC member, who pleaded anonymity, said he saw the charred remains of a neighbour who shared a building with him after the house had been burnt by the rioters.
He said that he managed to flee and vowed never to go back to Funtua.
“I just want to go back home. All my credentials are gone. As it is, the only property I have is my mobile phone,” he lamented.
The story was the same from the other corps members from Malumfashi, Kankara and Jibia.
Anjolaoluwa, a female corps members from Oyo State, said she might never recover from the trauma.
Amidst tears, she told one of our correspondents how rampaging youths attached their residence in Funtua and burnt down the place.
“Many of them just came and started beating us. We had to jump over the fence and ran to the main road. I lost everything, including my certificates and laptop,” she said.
The state Coordinator of the NYSC, Mallam Abdul Taura, who declined to respond to inquiries was at the orientation camp on Thursday afternoon to address the corps members.
Taura told them that they were safe as security was guaranteed at the camp.
In Bauchi State, corps members also deserted the troubled areas in the state for fear of further attacks by irate youths.
This came just as Governor Isah Yuguda assured them of adequate security in the state. He also relocated over 150 of them to the State Security Service Training School for safety.
One of our correspondents, who visited the state secretariat of the NYSC on Thursday morning, met the premises deserted except for a few workers who were going about their official duties.
One of the workers, said, “Today (Thursday) is supposed to be their CDS (Community Development Service) day but as you can see, none of them is around. Since it is no longer safe for them to move around, it is better they stay where they will be safe.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amana Abakasanga, had confirmed the death of four corps members in the hands of the rampaging youths.
Abakasanga said 26 out of 51 corps members posted to Jammare, Giade, Misau, Azare, Dambam and Itas Gadu were rescued by the police and another 20 still missing.
But some of the corps members said at least 11 of their colleagues had so far been murdered in the crisis.
One of them said they had “decided not to take part in the election again since the government cannot protect us.”
He also claimed that they had not been paid the money promised them by INEC.
The fate of the ‘missing’ corps members was still unknown as at press time on Thursday.
Yuguda had in a statement assured the corps members of the determination of his administration to protect their lives and property.
The governor, who pleaded with the corps members to be calm, also condoled with the NYSC and the parents of those that were killed in Kano Staste. The NYSC members are currently taking refuge in army barracks in Bompai and Horoto police barracks.
When one of our correspondents visited the headquarters of the NYSC in Maitama, Abuja, the members of staff were mourning.
Most them, who clustered in and around the lobby of the building were overheard discussing the deaths of some of the NYSC members in hushed tunes.
Reports say hoodlums protesting the defeat of Buhari in the April 16 Presidential election killed 200 people in six northern states.
When contacted on the threat by some corps members to boycott the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for Tuesday, the NYSC Deputy Director (Public Relations), Mrs. Chynwe Ojukwu, said the issues involved revolved around policy.
“The Director-General (Maj.-Gen. Ismaila Tsiga) has travelled to Bauchi to assess the situation. When he comes back and is ready to make any pronouncement, we will let you know.”
By Niyi Odebode, Olamilekan Lartey, Sunday Ojeme and John Alechenu Courtesy Of: Punch
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