NYSC denies manual advising corpers to keep ransom for kidnappers

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has distanced itself from a clause in its security manual, advising members to prepare ransom for criminal groups currently on the prowl across the country.

In the security advisory titled: “Security Awareness and Education Handbook for Corps Members and Staff,” which surfaced on social media during the week, the NYSC asked corps members to inform their family members and friends before embarking on a road trip to any part of the country.

This, according to the Scheme, will enable the corps members to prepare sufficient funds for ransom should they come across abduction-for-ransom groups during trips, especially along the dreaded Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene, or Aba-Port-Harcourt roads.

The Scheme also warned corps members to desist from travelling with their laptops, tablets, and mobile devices during trips.

Many corps members including those that completed the mandatory 12-month national service a few months ago confirmed they received the security advisory introduced in March while in orientation camps.

It read: “When travelling in the high-risk roads such as Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene or Aba-Port-Harcourt road, then alert your family members, friends and colleagues in order to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded.”

READ ALSO: NYSC denies kidnap of Corps member in Ondo

However, in a statement issued on Thursday night, the NYSC dismissed the controversial section of the manual as fake news.

The scheme insisted that the clause was not embedded in the manual distributed to the corps members at the various orientation camps across the country.

The statement read: “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.”

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