The National Youth Service Corps NYSC has refuted a story with the above caption “Gunmen killed 344 Corps Members in The North- West zone in July” published by Opera News, quoting The Punch Newspaper as source.
The scheme in a statement signed by its Director, Press and Public Relations,Adenike Adeyemi described the publication as a misleading story.
The statement said :
This same medium on Thursday, 29th July, 2021 came up with a fake story with the caption: *NEARLY 200 NYSC MEMBERS MURDERED ACROSS THE NORTH-EAST THIS YEAR AS KIDNAPPING ESCALATES.
As earlier stated every discerning mind knows that story, as well as that of today are both false. No Corps Member deployed to the North-East and North-West geo-political zones of the country was killed, neither was any abducted by bandits in July, 2021, as reported.
Management would have ignored this story, but had to issue this rebuttal for the sake of undiscerning minds who may swallow the fake news, hook, line and sinker.
Management hereby passionately appeals to both the mainstream and new media, as opinion moulders and critical stakeholders in the polity to always place national interest above every other consideration in their reportage, as anything contrary has the propensity to create apprehension in the minds of parents, guardians and other stakeholders.
NYSC shall continue to prioritise the security and welfare of Corps Members which is the cardinal policy thrust of the Scheme.
