By Queen Kunde
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members across the country to stay away from partisan politics and political campaigns, stressing that the scheme remains an apolitical organisation.
Speaking during a visit to the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream I orientation camp in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos, the NYSC boss cautioned corps members against participating in political rallies, campaigns or any activity that could associate them with political parties.
According to him, corps members must remain neutral at all times and focus on the objectives of the national service programme.
“Do not get involved in the campaign of any political party. Don’t mix NYSC with politics. You should stay clear of politics,” Nafiu said.
The Director-General also urged corps members to be responsible in their use of social media, warning against cyberstalking, cyberbullying and cyber fraud.
He said offenders would face the consequences of their actions, adding that young graduates must protect their future by avoiding activities that could tarnish their reputation.
Nafiu advised the corps members to embrace discipline, manage their finances wisely and cultivate a savings culture. He noted that the service year offers a unique opportunity to promote national unity by building friendships and understanding across ethnic and cultural lines.
The NYSC boss further encouraged the participants to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme as well as investment opportunities in the capital market.
He explained that the NYSC/Kudimata Capital Market Awareness Sensitisation Programme was introduced to equip corps members with financial knowledge and help them make informed investment decisions.
“It is a programme designed to empower you with financial knowledge and investment capacity,” he said.
Earlier, the Lagos State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Christianah Salmwang, informed the Director-General that a total of 9,955 corps members had been registered for the orientation exercise, including those deployed to camps in other states.
She said the corps members had shown enthusiasm, discipline and readiness to serve the nation.
The NYSC leadership expressed confidence that the participants would make positive contributions to national development during their service year.