The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reiterated its zero tolerance for fraudulent practices in the mobilization of graduates for national service, emphasising its commitment to transparency, integrity, and accountability in all its operations.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, stated this in Abuja during the 2025 Batch ‘C’ Pre-Mobilization Workshop.
He noted that the Scheme remained dedicated to maintaining high standards of integrity in the deployment of human, technological, and material resources used for mobilization.
Nafiu said the NYSC had, over the years, earned public confidence through its transparent mobilization process and would continue to strengthen its systems to sustain credibility.
He explained that the theme of the workshop, “Enhancing Data Integrity for Credible Mobilization for National Service in Contemporary Times,” was apt, considering the proliferation of unauthorised higher institutions across the country.
The NYSC boss identified data manipulation, identity theft, inconsistent data from Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs), weak inter-agency data linkages, cybersecurity breaches, and low data management capacity as major challenges confronting the mobilization process.
According to him, the activities of unapproved study centres operating under dubious affiliations with accredited institutions remain a major concern.
“NYSC will continue to apply sanctions wherever such unethical practices are discovered,” he warned. “We must be conscious of the fact that the strength of our mobilization system depends not only on technology, but also on the ethics, discipline, and professionalism of those who handle it.
“Let us continue to uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and zero tolerance for compromise. Every Nigerian graduate who wears the NYSC uniform must be genuinely qualified and properly verified.”
In her remarks, the Director of Corps Mobilisation, Mrs. Rachel Idaewor, described the workshop as a vital platform for collaboration among the NYSC, Corps Producing Institutions, and other stakeholders.
She urged participants to approach their responsibilities with diligence and integrity, ensuring that all uploaded data are accurate and reflect the true profiles of prospective corps members.
“Let us work together as a cohesive team, drawing inspiration from past successes and embracing the challenges that lie ahead,” she said.
Also speaking, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, cautioned participants against data manipulation and other unethical practices.
He disclosed that at least 17 individuals, including some JAMB officials, are currently being prosecuted by law enforcement agencies for offences related to admission, graduation, and mobilization for national service.
Oloyede advised Student Affairs Officers to always obtain data directly from JAMB rather than from students or unreliable sources.
Similarly, the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), Engr. Olatunji Ariyomo, pledged that the agency would work closely with stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of its mandate as directed by the federal government. [The Guardian]
