ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Olakunle Nafiu, has warned that corps members are still bound by Nigeria’s cyberbullying and social media regulations throughout their compulsory one-year national service.
Speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, Nafiu stressed that corps members remain subject to constitutional provisions and existing laws governing online behaviour and digital activities.
According to him, corps members are Nigerian citizens first and must comply with all laws regulating cyber activities, online conduct and public behaviour across the country.
Nafiu explained that any allegation of cyberbullying involving corps members would be investigated and treated by appropriate law enforcement agencies in line with the law, irrespective of their NYSC status.
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He also clarified that the NYSC was not responsible for providing legal representation to corps members facing criminal or civil cases linked to their online activities or social media engagements.
“The fact that they are corps members does not absolve them from being citizens bound by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“If someone says you cyberbullied him or her, the police will arrest you with your NYSC identity card and you will bear that responsibility.
“I am not funded to provide legal representation for you in court. What we do is engage the Legal Aid Council to monitor proceedings,” Nafiu said.
According to him, the Legal Aid Council could provide free legal services for corps members when necessary, especially during investigations or court proceedings requiring legal assistance.
Nafiu stated that the scheme had stepped up sensitisation campaigns to educate corps members on responsible social media usage and digital communication amid increasing concerns over cyberbullying and online misconduct.
“The rule of the game has changed. You cannot just go online calling out people because someone can accuse you of cyberbullying,” Nafiu stated.
He, however, said the NYSC had adjusted its communication approach to reflect the realities of younger Nigerians involved in the national service scheme across different parts of the country.
According to him, the scheme does not oppose content creation by corps members but encourages responsible and lawful online engagement among participants in the programme.
“By the end of this year, we will be mobilising only ‘Generation Z’ graduates, and we understand the environment they operate in.
“We know this generation loves content creation, and we are not against content, but there must be proper context and responsible engagement,” he said.
On election duties, Nafiu described corps members’ participation as ad hoc staff as a vital contribution to democratic governance and credible elections in Nigeria.
“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 encouraged corps members to see election assignments as opportunities to support democratic institutions and transparent electoral processes through active involvement.
Nafiu also praised Oluremi Tinubu for donating mobile clinics to strengthen the scheme’s medical outreach initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access in underserved rural communities.
According to him, the clinics had enhanced healthcare delivery during outreach programmes by providing facilities for scans, consultations and basic medical tests in rural areas.
“Those mobile clinics have consulting rooms and facilities for scans and tests that we previously referred beneficiaries elsewhere to conduct,” Nafiu said.
He explained that the clinics were mainly deployed to underserved communities as part of efforts to expand healthcare access and medical support nationwide.
“The objective of our outreach is to reach the unreached and less-served rural dwellers with healthcare initiatives and medical support,” Nafiu stated.
Nafiu, however, noted that logistical difficulties had restricted the deployment of the mobile clinics to distant states because transportation required specialised support, technical arrangements and additional funding.
According to him, the clinics are currently stationed in Abuja due to the high logistics demands involved in transporting them across long distances.
“We can conveniently move them to nearby states like Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger, but taking them to places like Lagos involves major logistics requirements,” Nafiu stated.
He added that moving the clinics to far locations required flatbed carriers and extensive technical support, making deployments financially demanding for the scheme.
The National Youth Service Corps, established in 1973, is a Federal Government programme created to promote national unity, integration and development through mandatory one-year service for Nigerian graduates nationwide.