The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to enact laws allowing the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to embark on military training.
HURIWA, a frontline activist group, said Corps members should be trained to defend national assets across the country.
The group made the call while condemning the attack on NYSC orientation camp and other national assets by hoodlums looking for palliatives amid the End SARS protests.
In a statement, the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko said the training should be patterned after the Israeli design.
According to Onwubiko: “We strongly condemn the widespread and incessant looting, organised and highly ochestrated arson and attacks by Some Misguided societal elements masquerading as youths searching for Covid-19 hoarded palliatives to loot NYSC Camps and other strategic National and private assets of Nigeria and Nigerians.
“These brazen acts of criminality in the case of the Targeting of NYSC’s facilities which constitutes gross National sabotage demanding the stiffest judicial sanctions for offenders have come with many revelations that Government needs to investigate within the shortest possible timeframe to save Nigeria.
“We humbly ask Mr President and the National Assembly to amend the relevant laws of NYSC to empower the scheme to begin the trainings for vetted and credible youths in military trainings to form a standing National volunteer Corp and for these citizens to be draw from the states to be mobilized at all times to resiliently partner with law enforcement agencies under the auspices of the office of the DG of NYSC who is a serving officer of The Nigerian Army to be rapidly deployed to carry out volunteer works of defending strategic National Assets so these kinds of ugly and lawless scenarios will never occur.
This should follow the pattern of Israeli government. It should be a revolving scheme lasting one calendar year just like same period with the NYSC SCHEMES WHICH IS AS RELEVANT AS EVER AND DEMANDS NATIONAL FUNDING CONSOLIDATION.
“These volunteers can also be encouraged to enlist into the Army on the passing out parade after working for MOTHERLAND FOR A YEAR and to explore other regular policing or para military institutions on permanent basis and this will save the cost of recruitment process of such agencies as NPF, NPS, NCS, and the national Civil Defence Corp after a year of purely voluntary service to the Nation. This we think is an idea whose time has come.”
DAILY POST