Insecurity Of Corps Members As A Triggering Fueling Factor For The Repeal Of NYSC Act

Project and Seminar Material for Sociology

Abstract

The study examined insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act. Survey research design was adopted in the study in order to assess the opinions of the selected respondents with the use of questionnaire. The population size comprised of staff of NYSC in Kaduna State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 63 respondents and all were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables mean scores. While the hypotheses were tested using chi-square statistical tool. The findings of the study showed that the role of the NYSC programme in Nigeria includes: to contribute to the acceleration of Nigeria economy, to promote national unity and integration, to encourage religious intolerance among youths, to ensure Nigerian youths possesses, the spirit of self reliance, to ensure Nigerian youths participate in nation building. National insecurity challenges affects corps members deployed in states, the security challenges that has bedeviled the NYSC programme and corp members includes: terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, inter-religious conflict, inter-ethnic conflict. Insecurity a significant factor triggering the repeal of NYSC Act. Based on the finding, the following recommendations were made that States and services that really require corps members should formally make requisition for them and be ready to enter written undertakings to protect and meaningfully engage these personnel. Increasing insecurity in the land dictates that states take out substantial insurance coverage for corps members they request. This is because, having observed the menace of Boko Haram, kidnapping and growing political violence in the country, there is no doubt that if nothing is urgently done to stem the tide, the NYSC may soon be a thing of the past.

Table of Content

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organization of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The NYSC scheme is an initiative in which the government of Nigeria requires graduates of tertiary institutions to serve the country for one year in various establishments around the country. This is a scheme aimed at nation building by promoting national consciousness and literacy, as well as the growth of Nigeria’s youth and economy. Inviting youths to serve the country was thus seen as a deliberate and clear effort to counter challenges to a prosperous, unified, and self-reliant nation. This includes instilling patriotism, hard work, tolerance, and integrity in the youth. It also involves the need to raise their collective consciousness, encourage them to pursue jobs in the primary assignment, and recognize the importance of living permanently with iirndigenous people after the service program. It’s a micro-initiative that focuses on social change by a group of Nigerians who are seen as the country’s potential leaders (Sanda A. 1976 cited in Yemi B. 2015).

This youth service experiment is not exclusive to Nigeria, as shown by studies of youth service in other nations, which indicate that the initiative has been used to address a variety of issues confronting young people in particular. Sherraden and Eberly noted in their review of the youth service program in the United States that these problems include unemployment, substance addiction, alcoholism, aggression, crime, and educational imbalance (Sherraden Michael M. & Eberly Donald J. (1982) cited in Yemi B. (2015). It is commonly assumed that by participating in this service program, youths will be reformed and become active members of society.

Sherraden et al. have also identified three main viewpoints and reasons for calling on the youth to serve. The first is that youth service is seen as a type of human development program that molds people’s abilities and personalities in ways that educational institutions have struggled to instill. The second explanation is that young people are seen as a national resource with the capacity, versatility, and inventiveness to address social and economic needs that are beyond the scope of traditional institutions.

The third explanation is that many people believe that young people are needed to solve social issues such as violence, substance abuse, and unemployment. Youths, it has also been suggested, may play an important role in post-conflict societies.

Youths can serve as social capital or work force in situations like Nigeria after the civil war, according to Eberly et al., by providing voluntary welfare, economic, health, and social services. It gives young people an opportunity to identify with the state, stay loyal to the state, and represent the state. It also provides them with a means of contributing to post-conflict societies. Furthermore, service learning is improved, in which young people gain academic skills and benefit through meeting the needs of others, among other things, and thus can aid in the reconstruction of post-conflict communities.

Following the Nigerian civil war in 1973, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was formed to involve Nigerian university graduates under the age of thirty (30) in nation building. However, given the security threats that have bedeviled the program, such as abduction of corp members, fear of insurgent attacks on NYSC camps, hostage crisis, and assassination of corp members, there have been calls for it to be scrapped.

Therefore it is against this backdrop that this study is set to examine insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act stipulated in CAP. N84 of 1974 constitution during 2nd Republic .

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There are many challenges that have threatened the existence of the NYSC programme. The complexity and dimensions of the program’s security risks have expanded as a result of the country’s waves of insecurity challenges. Recently, the Boko Haram sect, backed by their bomb-blast terrorism in Northern Nigeria, has virtually instilled fear in the minds of parents and Nigerian graduates awaiting NYSC deployment. The reports of the Boko Haram sect’s bombing of the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Maiduguri had the media buzzing (The Guardian 2014). Thousands of university graduates are produced each year, and they often hold their knees on the carpet, praying for providence’s hands of God to keep them from being posted to the terror-infested states of Borno and Yobe, Kaduna and other insurgent regions. It is a matter of Nigerian history that thousands of NYSC participants posted in various sections of the North have been re-deployed to other states where the wind of protection is stronger in order to complete their NYSC programme safely. Another cause for concern is the taking of hostages and the kidnapping of corps members. While the abduction of corps members began in the early years of the program, it has recently escalated into a full-fledged kidnapping. The recent heinous act of kidnapping and raping to death a female corps member, Grace Adie Ushamg, serving in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on September 26th, 2009 for the single offense of wearing khaki trousers compelled the media and the national assembly to join parents in the debate on the NYSC and security question; what should constitute its nature as well as the implementation procedure (Vanguard 2009 cited in Yemi B. 2015). Ogechi Martins, Chijioke Richard, and Esther Nwachukwu were abducted from the Ogonokom Corper’s Lodge in Rivers State in 2013. After ten days in captivity, they were released. Mbu Joseph Mbu, the Commissioner of Police, added that five people had been apprehended in conjunction with the kidnapping of the three corps men (Okafor C. & Ani J. 2015). A former NYSC Director-General decried the country’s spate of kidnappings, claiming that corps members had become a magnet for kidnappers. Thus, in view of the above issues, the legislature has resolved to repeal the scheme as national instability worsens through the adoption of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill, 2020 (https://gazettengr.com). Therefore it is upon this premise research is set to examine is set to examine insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act .

1.3 Objective of the Study

The main focus of this study is to examine insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act. Specifically it seeks

To examine NYSC act and a review of the programme.
To investigate the role of the scheme
To examine the dimension of security threats that is triggering the repeal of the programme.

1.4 Research Question

The following research questions guides the study

What is the role of the NYSC programme in Nigeria?
Has national insecurity challenges affects corps members deployed in states?
What are the security challenges that has bedevil NYSC programme and corp members?
Is insecurity a significant factor triggering the repeal of NYSC Act?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will validate this study:

H0: National insecurity challenges does not affect corps members deployed in states.

Ha: National insecurity challenges does affect corps members deployed in states.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to policy makers, NYSC officials and graduates. This study will enlighten lawmakers and the government on the importance of evaluating the bill repealing the NYSC, taking into account the implications for increasing the unemployment rate and deepening the grins of criminal activity in the country.

According to NYSC officials, the study will allow them to advise policymakers on the complexities of the program and the importance of the program in general, which may change the repeal movement. The study will be helpful to graduates and expose them to seeking other meaningful ways to survive, either by going into entrepreneurship in the absence of a white-collar job. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of knowledge and serve as reference material to researchers in policy studies.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study borders on the insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act. it will examine NYSC act and a review of the programme. It will investigate the role of the scheme and it will examine the dimension of security threats that is triggering the repeal of the programme. The study is however limited to selected NYSC staff in Kaduna State.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The following posed to be a constraint to the study

Financial constraint

Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint

The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

However in the midst above mentioned limitation the researcher devotedly ensured that the purpose of the study was actualized.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Insecurity:

The state of being open to danger or threat; lack of protection.

NYSC:

The National Youth Service Corps is a program set up by the Nigerian government to involve Nigerian graduates in nation building and the development of the country.

1.10 Organization of the Studies

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was on insecurity of corps members as a triggering factor for the repeal of NYSC Act. The study is was specifically set to examine NYSC act and a review of the programme, investigate the role of the scheme, ascertain if the adoption of ICT leads to the retrenchment of secretaries in Government agencies, and examine the dimension of security threats that is triggering the repeal of the programme.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 63 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are selected NYSC staff in Kaduna State.

5.3 Conclusions

In the light of the analysis carried out, the following conclusions were drawn.

The role of the NYSC programme in Nigeria includes: to contribute to the acceleration of Nigeria economy, promote national unity and integration, encourage religious intolerance among youths, ensure Nigerian youths possesses, the spirit of self reliance, to ensure Nigerian youths participate in nation building.
National insecurity challenges affects corps members deployed in states.
The security challenges that has bedeviled the NYSC programme and corp members includes: terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, inter-religious conflict, inter-ethnic conflict.
Insecurity is a significant factor triggering the repeal of NYSC Act.

5.4 Recommendation

Based on the findings the researcher recommends;

States and services that really require corps members should formally make requisition for them and be ready to enter written undertakings to protect and meaningfully engage these personnel. Increasing insecurity in the land dictates that states take out substantial insurance coverage for corps members they request. This is because, having observed the menace of Boko Haram, kidnapping and growing political violence in the country, there is no doubt that if nothing is urgently done to stem the tide, the NYSC may soon be a thing of the past.
There is need for the extension of the camping period to about three months, during which the corps members would be trained in vocational skills and other entrepreneurial acts that would make them self-reliant and initiators of small and medium scale enterprises after the service year. Finally, there is need for corps members to be posted to their different regions of birth, while other forms of policy reforms should follow-suite.

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