The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Wednesday in Minna, North Western Nigeria distributed cheques worth N26, 790, 000.00 (Twenty-six million, seven hundred and ninety thousand) to the sixty-one ex-corps members, including families of two others who were killed during the 2011 post-election violence in Niger state.
Speaking during the presentation of dummy cheques which took place at the NYSC state secretariat, Minna, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Niger state Hon. Saidu Kpaki challenged youths to resist being lured into politics for self destruction by politicians.
The SSG who is the chairman Governing Board of the scheme in Niger state argued that, time has come when youths should take their destinies in their hands by resisting politicians who would rather lure them to self destruction for personal gains.
Hon. Ndako who prayed that the violent crisis that led to the loss of lives, particularly in some states in the north including that of two corps members; Ademola Mujidat Adejoke NG/10A/353 and Nwali Clara Ifeoma NG/10A/614 charged Nigerian youths to be vanguard for the promotion of peace.
“I do not see the crisis as that of religion. May be political, or joblessness or of poverty. Tell whoever that wants to recruit you as touts to bring his or her son to lead the way”, Ndako said and prayed God to direct the hearts of Nigerian leaders to do what they are expected to do.
Taking up arms in the name of religion is against all known religious norms, the NYSC Board chairman said, arguing that, “Religion is and should be out of one’s volition but never of a compulsion”.
While pleading with families of those that lost their lives to see the deaths as an act of God that is bound to happen, Ndako appealed to youths to as future leaders irrespective of tribal or political divide promote peace at all times and desist from divisionary tendencies capable of doing more harm than good to the generality of all Nigerians.
Niger state coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Andrya Justina had earlier in a welcome address said the federal governments’ financial assistance to the 61 corps members and families of the two that lost their lives at Siuleja cannot in anyway replace whatever they may have lost but as a way of alleviating their sufferings.
Mrs. Justina explained N26.7 million financial support was distributed to the affected based on the level of damage each incurred during the 2011 post-election fracas which affected mostly the Nigerian Christian Corpers’ Fellowship (NCCF), whose family house and entire properties were destroyed.
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