An Islamic human rights advocacy group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called on the Federal Government to urgently safeguard members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) or consider scrapping the scheme over growing insecurity.
The group made the call in its 2026 Ramadan message issued on Thursday by its Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, aligning with increasing public concern over the safety of corps members during their mandatory one-year service.
MURIC backed ongoing advocacy for improved welfare and protection of corps members, describing such demands as “just, altruistic and patriotic.” The group specifically referenced calls by stakeholders, including Dr. Alice Oludimu and Haruna Danjuma of the National Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria, for enhanced security measures and insurance coverage for corps members.
Citing alarming statistics, MURIC noted that at least 83 corps members were abducted between 2013 and 2023, with recent incidents further heightening fears. The group highlighted the killing of a corps member, Musa Usman Abba, who was abducted in January 2026 while travelling to Sokoto State and later murdered despite the payment of a N10 million ransom by his family.
It also referenced another case in Zamfara State where a corps member was released only after a ransom payment of N10 million and two motorcycles, as well as a 2020 attack along the Abuja-Lokoja highway where a corps member was killed and others abducted.
According to MURIC, such incidents are not only tragic but also have lasting psychological effects on young Nigerians, warning that the trend is “militarising” the nation’s youth.
The group reminded the Federal Government of its constitutional obligation under Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that the security and welfare of citizens remain the primary responsibility of government.
“MURIC urges the government to add a human face to the NYSC scheme by taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of participants,” the statement said, adding that the programme must be transformed “from a pact with death and captivity to a journey through life and hope.”
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The organisation also expressed concern over reports that some NYSC officials allegedly required corps members to sign undertakings making their parents responsible for ransom payments in the event of abduction, describing the development as “alarming.”
To address the situation, MURIC demanded the introduction of a comprehensive life insurance policy for all corps members, mandatory military escorts for those posted to high-risk areas, and a halt to any policy that shifts responsibility for their safety to parents.
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