NYSC disowns corps member who ‘defrauded’ police officer

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has distanced itself from Ukanwa Ikechuwuku, the former corps member arraigned for allegedly defrauding a police officer in Oyo.

On Friday, Ikechukwu was arraigned before a magistrates’ court sitting in Iyaganku, Ibadan, for alleged false pretence and theft.

He was said to have committed the alleged offence on December 4, 2022.

But in a statement by Eddy Megwa, its spokesperson, the NYSC faulted the people linking the defendant to the scheme since he has finished service.

“The attention of NYSC management in Oyo State has been drawn to the information circulating on social media about a corps member sent to jail in Ibadan, Oyo State, for criminal offense,” the statement reads.

“Management wishes to make the following clarifications;

“The said Ukanwa Ikechuwuku is now an ex-corps member who passed out of national service in February 2023.

“Secondly, when he was serving, he collected a sum of two hundred and thirty-five thousand naira to purchase a physiotherapy machine for a woman at the police clinic where he was serving but failed to get the machine.

“Every attempt made by the woman to get a refund of her money from this ex-corps member proved abortive, therefore she decided to charge him to court for criminal offence.

“I wish to emphasise that the NYSC uniform is not an immunity against any form of criminality because the laws of the Federation applies to all and sundry.

“All corps members are therefore by this statement admonished to always be of good behavior and adhere strictly to the core values of the NYSC Scheme in all their transactions.”