Government moves to probe corps members’ death in Bayelsa, Kano, Bayelsa

NYSC mourns, kicks off vocational skills scheme nationwide

The Federal Government is to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of three Batch ‘B’ (Stream I) members during the ongoing orientation in Bayelsa, Kano and Zamfara states.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, disclosed yesterday in Abuja that government was probing the death of Elechi Chinyerum Nwenenda, Oladepo Ifedolapo and Asuquo Ukeme Monday to ascertain if they died of natural cause (s) or due to negligence.

He noted that the current administration would embark on a comprehensive review of health facilities in the orientation camps nationwide to forestall future incidents.

“We appeal to Nigerians and other corps members to be calm at this moment of grief. Efforts are being put in place to guarantee their comfort and safety. I want to assure Nigerians that we will avail the country with the circumstances that led to their death,” he pleaded.

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Sulaiman Zakare Kazaure, at the weekend raised a high-powered committee to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the deaths, just as he cleared the corps of any culpability in the incident.

He was reacting to negligence allegations in some quarters insinuating that the trio died due to alleged lack of care on the part of the authorities.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the scheme yesterday kicked off its skill acquisition programme nationwide for corps members as part of measures to cushion the recession in the land.

Kazaure, who made the disclosure at the Issele-Uku permanent orientation camp in Aniocha Local Council of Delta State amid sadness over the passage, cautioned corps members against corruption and indecent dressing.

“The NYSC is very pained by the death of the three corps members. Though a probe is already ongoing, but I want to say that it was a hard blow to the service,” he remarked.

The DG tasked the corps members on national development during and after the service year.He continued: “As graduates, you should display characters that lead to success and shun corruption and evil acts as they are detrimental to Nigeria’s development and unity.”