NYSC bans Benue varsity graduates from national service

The National Youth Service Corps says graduates from Benue State University and the University of Agriculture, Makurdi will not be allowed to participate in the scheme due to alleged falsification of age.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Msugh Kembe, vice-chancellor of the university, expressed shock at NYSC’s decision.

“The NYSC did not inform the management of the institution of its decision before executing it. The organisation did not inform us that it had issues with the current list of prospective corps members from our university,” NAN reported him to have said.

“On the second of October this year, the Dean of Students reported to me that they could not upload the names of prospective corps members from the university on the NYSC portal.

“The management of the university then detailed the Liaison Officer to write a letter to find out why the university could not upload its list of prospective corps members on the NYSC portal.

“We just got a reply of the letter just few minutes ago, but we are doing our investigation to find out whether the fault is from the JAMB, NYSC or the university. But I assure you that if the problem is from our school we will fish out the culprits and sanction them.

“We have the best forensic expert in the whole of the country from this university and we are going to engage his services to find out those behind this.

“I wonder why the NYSC did not fish out the culprits and sanction them, rather it decided to come down heavily against the whole university.”

Commenting on the matter, Awakessien Eno, NYSC Benue state coordinator, said it was discovered that student officers fielded names of over-aged students or names of students that studied courses that were excluded from NYSC mobilisation.

“An audit was carried out in most of the institutions nationwide and eventually, six major institutions were affected and many of them are actually from Benue State,” she said.

“The audit report has been sent to the affected schools and the schools are aware of what exactly is expected of them.”