FIC Report (Sokoto State) – The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Sokoto state Coordinator, Mr Tyoyer Gabriel Ter, has called for the retention and reform of the NYSC scheme, saying that it remains Nigeria’s most effective tool for National integration and rural development.
Mr. Ter made the call on Thursday while addressing Journalists at the NYSC permanent Orientation Centre, Wamakko, Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto state.
According to him, unpatriotic calls to scrap the 53 year old scheme are misplaced and would create a ” human capital vacuum” in rural communities” if you remove NYSC today, who will teach in Isa, Sabon Birni and Gwadabawa tomorrow? who will run our PHCs in Kebbe and Tambuwal? The states cannot post their staff there,” he said.
He noted that the scheme deploys over 400,000 graduates annually, with a significant number serving as teachers, health workers and agricultural extension agents. He added that Sokoto’s 2025/2026 service year, had no fewer than 1,200 Corps members who were posted to rural schools and 340 to primary health centres among others.” The NYSC scheme is now a household name across Nigeria, and it has become extremely indispensable in the country.
The state Coordinator however, re-echoed calls for the reform of the scheme and ensuring its adequate funding, urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing efforts to provide direly-needed Legislative backing for the proposed NYSC Trust Fund. Underscoring the urgent desire for the fund to take off, Ter said that it would bolster to make it more plausible and efficacious.
While applauding the Sokoto state Government for providing one of the best NYSC camps in Nigeria, the coordinator further appealed to it to hasten the planned renovation of the camp, stating that the project has since been approved by Governor Ahamed Aliyu. He explained that the camp being one of the most beautiful ones in the country some of its structures are in serious state of disrepair. He cited a female hostel that had been completely abandoned, saying, “if it is urgently rehabilitated, we can accommodate no fewer than 3000 Corps members at a go.” He also decried the dearth of chairs for the corps members especially during the routine lectures lamenting, “often some of the corps members sit on the bare floor during such lectures.”
Ter, however acknowledged some notable friends of the scheme, like banks that had donated some chairs to redress the dire situation, appealing for more support in that direction. He spoke on the urgent need of additional 5,000 capacity lecture hall to argument the extant 700-capacity one at the camp.
On security, the coordinator stated that posting corps members to high-risk areas was a challenge. He however, said that the scheme had strengthened collaboration with security agencies and traditional rulers to ensure safer of corps members.
Ramatu Sani (Mrs),
Head of Centre,
FIC, Sokoto.
01/05/2026.
