Over 30 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Edo state face a 90-day service extension for protesting unpaid N77,000 allowances. The protest carried out in a WhatsApp group, led to the denial of discharge certificates and was labeled as online incitement by the NYSC.
In a controversial move, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Edo State has extended the service of over 30 corps members by 90 days without pay. According to SaharaReporters, this penalty follows their protest over the non-payment of a N77,000 allowance, which they had aired in a WhatsApp group.
The affected corps members had completed their one-year service on March 17, 2025. Instead of receiving their Discharge Certificates, they were handed a "Notification of Extension of Service." Sources say the protest started after an NYSC official created a WhatsApp group titled "Group Update on 77k Allowance," where corps members expressed their grievances about the unpaid stipends.
In response, the NYSC summoned the corps members for questioning at the Department of State Services (DSS) office and the NYSC Secretariat. Despite no immediate action, a query letter was issued on September 6, 2024, accusing one member of inciting protests against the NYSC and the Federal Government. This was followed by the extension notice, which cited their online incitement as the reason for the disciplinary action.
The extension notice, which was issued on March 17, 2025, informed the corps members that they would not receive their Certificates of National Service until they had completed the extended service. The NYSC emphasized that this decision was in line with the NYSC Bye-Laws, particularly regarding online incitement to protest.
The corps members have been instructed to report to the Head of Community Development and Relief at the NYSC Secretariat to begin their extended service period.
