The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad
Abubakar III, has asked security agencies in the
country to provide adequate protection for
members of the National Youth Service Corps
deployed to assist officials of the Independent
National Electoral Commission to conduct the
general elections.
Abubakar gave the charge when the NYSC
Director-General, Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi,
paid a pre-election advocacy visit to his palace.
This was contained in a statement by the NYSC
on Sunday.
The sultan was quoted as saying, “I call on
politicians to ensure the safety of the corps
members. On my part, I have directed district
heads in the state to take charge of the safety
of corps members serving in their domains, and
want same move to be replicated in other parts
of the country.
“I also urge corps members not to be deterred
by past violence, but to consider their service in
the conduct of elections as a national duty to be
proud of.”
Abubakar further urged them to go into the
electoral assignment with high sense of
patriotism and to avoid identifying with any
political party.
The NYSC DG, Olawumi, appealed to the
monarch to help in sensitising members of the
public, especially politicians, to ensure the safety
of the corps members before, during and after
the elections.
The DG also urged Nigerians to report
misconduct by any corps members to the NYSC
management, rather than take the laws into their
hands.