By Odeh Favour Adiya
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members that they are not exempt from Nigeria’s cyberbullying and social media laws during their service year.
Speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, Nafiu stressed that participation in the NYSC scheme does not place any graduate above the laws regulating online conduct and public behaviour in the country.
He stated that any allegation of cybercrime or cyberbullying involving corps members would be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities, regardless of their status in the scheme.
According to him, the NYSC is not obligated to provide legal representation for corps members facing criminal or civil cases arising from their personal social media activities.
“The fact that they are corps members does not absolve them from being citizens bound by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Nafiu said.
“If someone says you cyberbullied him or her, the police will arrest you with your NYSC identity card and you will bear that responsibility,” he added.
The NYSC boss, however, noted that the Legal Aid Council remains available to provide free legal services where necessary, especially during investigations or court proceedings.
“The rule of the game has changed. You cannot just go online calling out people because someone can accuse you of cyberbullying,” he stated.
Nafiu also disclosed that the NYSC was adapting its communication and engagement strategies to align with changing realities among younger Nigerians.
“By the end of this year, we will be mobilising only ‘Generation Z’ graduates, and we understand the environment they operate in,” he said.
While clarifying that the scheme is not against content creation, he stressed the need for responsibility and proper context in online engagement.
“We know this generation loves content creation, and we are not against content, but there must be proper context and responsible engagement,” he added.
Speaking on civic responsibility, the NYSC Director-General commended corps members who serve as ad hoc staff during elections, describing their participation as vital to democratic governance and national development.
“It is more noble to serve as election ad hoc staff than merely casting your ballot because you are facilitating credible elections for millions of Nigerians,” Nafiu said.
He also appreciated the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for donating mobile clinics aimed at improving healthcare delivery and medical outreach in underserved rural communities.
According to him, the mobile clinics have enhanced healthcare interventions by providing facilities for consultations, scans, and basic medical tests.
“Those mobile clinics have consulting rooms and facilities for scans and tests that we previously referred beneficiaries elsewhere to conduct,” he explained.
Nafiu, however, lamented the logistical and financial challenges affecting the deployment of the mobile clinics to distant parts of the country.
He noted that transporting the heavy equipment requires specialised arrangements, additional funding, and the use of flatbed carriers.
“We can conveniently move them to nearby states like Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger, but taking them to places like Lagos involves major logistics requirements,” he said.
The NYSC was established in 1973 by the Federal Government to promote national unity, integration, and development through a mandatory one-year service programme for Nigerian graduates.
