The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has dismissed report claiming that its Director General, Brigadier General Ibrahim Shuaibu, has plans to Islamise the NYSC orientation camp in Benue State.
In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations at NYSC, Adenike Adeyemi, a group under the auspices of Coalition for Peace and Justice had, in a statement, alleged that the NYSC DG expressed anger that there was no mosque in the camp and ordered Benue State Coordinator to build a mosque in the camp immediately.
She said the management noted that the DG’s instruction was targeted at corps’ welfare and aimed at ensuring all groups worship under structures built for that purpose and not exposed to negative weather elements in the event of rain or extreme sunshine.
Adeyemi said that there was no time during the DG’s visit to the camp did he issue such instruction hence, insisting that the scheme recognises all faith and even allowed the National Association of Catholic Corpers (NACC), Nigerian Christian Corpers Fellowship (NCCF) and Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria. (MCAN) to operate without hinder in the camp.
“When we visited the camp, the DG observed the three associations worshiping in the open space, he therefore, instructed the state coordinator to provide spaces for them, as those worshiping should have a structure under which they should worship. The instruction was therefore, targeted toward the welfare of the corps members.
“In fact, it wasn’t only Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN) that he saw that day. He was only concern about the welfare of the corps members without prejudice as the scheme does not favour any religion against another,” the statement read.
She urged mischief makers to leave the scheme out of any religious, political or ethnic sentiment.
