NYSC Denies Allegations of Querying Corps Members Over Christmas Carol Participation
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has refuted claims that it issued query letters to 200 corps members in Oyo State for allegedly not attending a Christmas carol event. These reports, which circulated on several online platforms, suggested that the corps members serving in Atiba Local Government Area were penalized for their absence from the event held on December 20, 2024.
In a statement issued on Friday, NYSC’s spokesperson, Eddy Megwa, clarified that no such action had been taken, labeling the allegations as unfounded. Megwa emphasized that the NYSC fully respects the religious rights of its corps members and remains committed to fostering unity and tolerance among them.
“The NYSC has always upheld the rights of corps members to freely practice their religion, and the reports regarding punitive action over participation in a Christmas carol are completely baseless,” Megwa stated.
The clarification follows growing speculation about alleged disciplinary actions against corps members involved in religious activities. According to Megwa, the queries issued to the affected corps members were not related to the carol but to their failure to meet certain administrative requirements.
“The queries were issued due to the corps members’ failure to participate in their scheduled Community Development Service (CDS) activities and their absence during the 2024 headcount, which was conducted to verify the availability of corps members over the holiday period,” Megwa explained. “Additionally, these corps members were not present at their primary places of assignment during the specified time.”
Megwa further pointed out that the corps members in question did not obtain prior written approval from the NYSC Oyo State Coordinator to travel outside the state between December 16, 2024, and January 6, 2025, in accordance with NYSC regulations.
“The queries issued to these corps members by the Local Government Inspector are part of the corrective measures within the NYSC framework and are unrelated to any Christmas carol participation,” the statement read. “These measures are in line with the NYSC’s bylaws, which stipulate penalties for non-compliance with the scheme’s requirements.”
The NYSC spokesperson also reiterated that participation in CDS activities is mandatory for all corps members throughout their service year and is a prerequisite for obtaining the Certificate of National Service. She urged the public and media outlets to approach such matters with accuracy, advising them to disregard the erroneous claims made in the online reports.
“The NYSC operates transparently and in accordance with established guidelines, and we encourage the media to report responsibly on matters concerning the scheme,” Megwa concluded.
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