NYSC Confirms Adoption of Corps Member in Borno

Latest: NYSC Confirms Adoption of Corps Member in Borno

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Monday confirmed the abduction of a male corps member, Abraham Amuta, by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Borno State Coordinator, Mr. Rabiu Aminu, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Maiduguri. Aminu disclosed that the corps member was abducted alongside a pastor with the Living Faith Church, simply identified as Oyeleke, in an attack coordinated by the insurgents against motorists on Maiduguri-Chibok road on April 10.

He disclosed that the corps member with Registration Number: BO18b/067; was deployed to Borno State Council of Arts and Culture, located in Maiduguri. The coordinator lamented that the corps member was abducted while travelling together with his pastor and other members of the church.

“The church claimed that the corps member was abducted alongside his pastor. “NYSC deploys corps members to only four of the 27 local government areas in the state. The councils are: Jere, Bayo, Biu and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.

“For any corps member to travel, he has to apply through proper channel and this involves formal request from his employer, through the zonal inspector and then channeled to the state coordinator, where we look at it, endorse or approve the request.

“It was unfortunate that the said corps member traveled on his own; we have been having sleepless nights over the issue, because he is under our custody. “We visited the Church, and the Commissioner of Police called us on Friday over the incident and assured us of their total support to address the situation,” he said. Aminu sympathised with families of the abducted corps member and called on Nigerians to pray for his release from the insurgents’ captivity.

Earlier: Corps Member Allegedly Abducted by Boko Haram Members in Borno

Some suspected gunmen of the Boko Haram sect have kidnapped a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Abraham Amuta and a cleric with Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), identified as Pastor Oyeleke in Borno State. Friends of the corps member said on Twitter that they were abducted two weeks ago on their way to Chibok to distribute relief items to Internally Displaced Persons and evangelize.

One of his friends, who goes by the name Success Ezeanya, wrote on Twitter, “Abraham Amuta is a corps member serving in Maiduguri. He was abducted by Boko Haram two weeks ago. He went for evangelism with a pastor from his church – Living Faith. He is an only son. Let’s not forget him in our prayers.Boko Haram reportedly abduct serving corps member in Borno

“He is a Batch B, stream 1 corps member serving in Maiduguri, Borno State. It’s been over two weeks now since he went missing in Maiduguri. Some people claiming to be Boko Haram have called and claimed to have abducted him. Please retweet until the Federal Government sees this.”

Due to the volatile nature of Borno State, corps members are usually given the option to redeploy. Last November alone, a total of 818 out of 1,118 corps members of the Batch C redeployed. Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State had pleaded with corps members deployed in the state not to seek redeployment, assuring them of his government’s commitment to their welfare and security. He also told them that they are major stakeholders in the task of the development of the state.

The immediate past Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Zakari Kazaure, had warned corps members living in volatile areas not to engage in evangelism

He insisted that the concern of the corps members should be to serve and not to go and indoctrinate the host communities.

“Let me, however, warn you that you are posted to go and serve and not to go and evangelise. Your concern should be to serve and not to go and indoctrinate your host communities. Conversion of souls is not your concern,” Kazaure had said.