Ayo Baje
“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me. So now you are cursed from the earth”-Genesis 4 vs 9-12 ( Voice of God to Cain on killing his brother, Abel )
Life is precious, priceless and irreplaceable. That is as far as those who value not only theirs but that of fellow human beings, are concerned. They would therefore, do everything humanly possible to protect every human life, knowing fully well that one of the greatest laws ever is to “love your neighbour as yourself”. But to some heartless, cruel criminals who belong to the vampire bat breed the life of others matter only when their biddings are done. They can and do quench the flames of others at the bat of an eyelid not minding the dire consequences.
That perhaps, might shed more light on the recent attack on one Safwan Fade, who was until that fateful night of January 22, 2025 a member of the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ), serving at the Federal College of Education ( FCE ), Pankshin in Pankshin Local Government Area, LGA of Plateau state. He was allegedly brutally attacked by a group of assailants at the Pankshin township stadium, leaving him with severe injuries that eventually led to his untimely death!
Though the Plateau state Police Command has confirmed the ugly incident, based on the report from Umbule Boreng Reuben of Pankshin LGA and gone further to nail two male suspects, Samuel Dang Kat and Zatshinen Wubwerewe the heinous crime has sparked off several burning questions.
It would be recalled that in early December 2024 a female corps member serving at Government Day Secondary School, Kuledele was assaulted; slapped, beaten up and stripped, with her white T-shirt torn to shreds by fellow teachers, all because she did not greet them! Can you imagine the audacity and effontry? Such was the despicable scenario ignited by the incident right in the presence of some students that the management of the NYSC in Kwara state had to withdraw all the 10 members of the youth service from the school. In addition, the state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajiya Sa’ adatu Modibbo-Kawu had to issue a statement of total condemnation. That was in addition to the state government’s call for a thorough investigation into the root causes of the embarrassing situation. Yet, a worse case scenario had unfolded back in May, 2011.
The outrageous and horrendous incident was the killing spree that wantonly wasted the priceless lives of 10 NYSC members all in Bauchi state! That was sequel to the blood-letting spectacle of the presidential election held in May 2011. And painfully, it reminded concerned Nigerians about the ” baboon and dog soaked in blood” comment of one of the presidential candidates! Can you imagine the desperation for political power under a so called democratic dispensation?! Most disgusting, is it not? Of course, it is.
Unfortunately and painfully, most of the NYSC members who fell as voiceless victims to the rampaging monsters, acting as political hoodlums right there in Bauchi state hailed from the southern geo-political zones. For instance, while Teidi Olawale, a graduate of computer science hailed from Osun state, Okpokiri Michael, a young graduate with degree in Environmental Management was born in Abia state. Nwazema Chukwunonyere, with HND in Electronics hailed from Imo state.Of the 10 victims only Akonyi Sule hailed from Kogi state in the North Central geo-political zone. The preventable tragedy led to the call by some citizens,worried about the killings of youth corpers that they should be posted to their own states of origin, or that of their geo-political zone. But that runs against the grain and marching mandate of NYSC, as brought into existence under Yakubu Gowon back in 1973.
Back then, the NYSC program came up as a mandatory, post-tertiary institution program with the noble and patriotic vision and mission to ” reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war”. With a duration of one year and meant for graduates under the age of 30 years to serve in other parts of the country the aim is to get them to understand our rich cultural and socio-economic diversities. The onus therefore, lies on the host communities to welcome and embrace the young graduates, from whichever part of the country, valuing their services instead of making them vulnerable to attacks. In fact, for me serving in Edeki Grammar School in the then Bendel state (1976-77) was a matter of national pride. Not only did it afford me the opportunity to hone my skill in creative writing through the book borrowing program as introduced by the then Military Administrator, Brigadier Ogbemudia ( now of blessed memory) one was able to positively impact on the reading culture of the students. One also recalls with joy that I was the one who introduced the End -of-Year Prize Giving ceremony for the graduating students of that school and the neighbouring one. That was then.
But this is now. It is a heart-rending and mind-bending situation for NYSC members to be assaulted and killed mercilessly, as it has happened in recent years years. That explains why the parents of the ten youth corpers killed in Bauchi state after the election in 2011, told the then President Goodluck Jonathan the bitter home Truth. According to one of them, a widow left groaning with four children, all those responsible for the killing of the young graduates should be made to face the full wrath of the law. That was despite Jonathan approving the payment of Five Million Naira to each family and offering one graduate per family job at the Federal Civil Service.
All said, there should be proactive measures and laws enacted by our legislators and signed by Mister President for the full protection of our NYSC members anywhere they serve in the country. Prevention will be better than cure
