Safety concerns for National Youth Service Corps members deployed as ad hoc personnel during elections have become a recurring decimal. In the just-concluded presidential and National Assembly polls, 18 of them were abducted in three local government areas of Akwa Ibom State. However, 14 were freed shortly after. Though security agencies are to protect all stakeholders, activities and processes, election facilities and materials, there is the crucial need to give special attention to these young folk.
The importance of security in an electoral process is considerable and the police play an important role. Due to their vulnerability, NYSC members are adversely affected by threats, violence, and intimidation during elections. It was obvious that the Independent National Electoral Commission glossed over security considerations in deploying them to some volatile areas in the last elections. In Akwa Ibom State, Abak LGA was the worst flashpoint, with 10 corps members abducted. Also, a female NYSC member was abducted in Indiokolo in Orumba area of Anambra State on Election Day. With another round of elections on Saturday, it behoves the police to provide adequate security for these youth serving their fatherland. It is just as well that the NYSC leadership has reminded INEC not to post corps members to areas prone to violence.
The NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, in response to the scary situation in Akwa Ibom State, said such a step would be in sync with the organisation’s policy of not posting corps members to areas with dire security situation for primary assignments. Adeyemi said, “Before corps members are deployed as INEC ad hoc staff, there must be MoU between the two organisations; and as part of the MoU, INEC is to provide welfare and security for the corps members.” On Thursday, the NYSC said corps members would not be posted to some areas of Anambra State.
The stakes for the governorship and state assembly polls in 29 states are very high, being a contest closer to the grass roots. As a result, the gladiators would be more daring in deploying every weapon in their armoury to win. Such desperation will undoubtedly lead to security breaches. For this reason, INEC, through the police, should ensure that the safety of corps members is not compromised.
However, what happened at Abak, Itu and Ikono councils in Akwa Ibom, was not new. In fact, the victims were lucky to be alive to tell the story. In Ahoada West Local Government Area in Rivers State, Okonta Samuel, an NYSC member, was killed in a 2016 re-run. Earlier, the same cruel fate had befallen 10 youth corps members in Bauchi State, in a post-election violence that engulfed some parts of northern Nigeria in 2011. The hoodlums who masterminded that carnage blamed the deceased for the electoral misfortunes of their paymasters.
For this irreparable loss, the government of Goodluck Jonathan gave N5 milllion to each of the bereaved families and promised an automatic employment to a graduate from each of them. But the job was a sham; given the testimonies of the purported beneficiaries that the employment letters were ineffectual. One of the bereaved and a widow had told the President that the only befitting compensation was bringing those involved in the heinous crime to book. As expected, the then president vowed to do so. Sadly, that was where the matter ended.
Since most of INEC’s field workers are drawn from the NYSC, the police-led security unit should maintain a secure and peaceful electoral environment for corps members to operate and preserve law and order, including bringing anyone aiming to disrupt the process to justice. However, harass, maim or kill any electoral official, be the victim an NYSC member or not, there are relevant provisions in the Electoral Act and the Criminal Code that deal with such offences. But it is this official apathy to crimes committed during elections that has sustained the lawlessness of undermining the safety of corps members involved in such a sensitive national assignment. The NYSC reported that some of its ad hoc personnel were raped. Media reports indicate that between 20 and 39 persons were murdered in the February 23 polls. The police should be alive to their responsibilities. We hope the Akwa Ibom kidnappers are among the 323 electoral offences suspects the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said on Monday would soon be prosecuted. The law must have its way against those found liable to restore sanity to the country’s electoral process.
Through intelligence reports and past experiences, INEC should identify volatile areas and keep NYSC members away from such places. Because of the paltry monthly allowance of N19,800 for a corps member, each of them sees the current election as an opportunity to make additional money, with N30,500 earmarked for each of them for participating in the February 23 and March 9 polls. However, life is too precious to be wasted for any pecuniary benefit. Therefore, they should be wary when deployed as INEC ad hoc staff. Their experience in every electoral cycle is enough for the Federal Government to undertake a serious life insurance cover for each of them. Though no amount is enough to compensate for a life lost, it is a policy the government should not dither to underwrite.
