The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has abruptly ended activities at orientation camps across the country.
The Batch A orientation camps for graduates started last week, March 10, and were supposed to last for 21 days.
Corps members in the camps were, however, shocked when they were told in the middle of the night that the camps had closed and they were all to receive their letters to places of primary assignment.
The corps members said they were told this was due to the coronavirus crisis.
Muslim News recalled that Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) last week issued a statement calling for the postponement of the exercise due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
In the release signed by its Director, Prof. Lakin Akintola, the group expressed doubts over the wisdom behind the resolve of the NYSC to carry on with the orientation exercise in the face of worldwide outbreaks.
The management of the Scheme this morning abruptly announced the cancellations of the three weeks orientation programme a week after its commencement.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: SUSPENSION OF THE ON-GOING ORIENTATION COURSE
Sequel to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic which led to the cancellation of the National Sports Festival, Management of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme wishes to announce the suspension of the on-going Orientation Course for the 2020 Batch “A” Stream 1 Corps Members.
Therefore, the Corps Members shall be posted to commence their primary assignments forthwith, while they shall be invited back to the Orientation Camps when the situation improves, just like it happened a few years ago when the Nation was confronted by the Ebola virus threat.
Management wishes to state that no Corps Member or Camp Official has contracted the virus,
Thank you.MANAGEMENT
We started receiving letters to our places of primary assignment at about 1a.m. today, a corps member serving in Gombe told PREMIUM TIMES.
Another serving in Plateau said they started receiving theirs very early on Wednesday.
The decision may have been influenced by yesterday’s resolution of the presidential task force that large public gatherings should be discouraged across the country.
The task force also banned foreign trips for public officials but did not restrict travels to Nigeria from countries with high cases of coronavirus.
It only said travellers from such countries would be on self-quarantine for 14 days during which they would be monitored.
The 11-member task force headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, announced its resolutions Tuesday night after a meeting in Abuja.
Nigeria has currently confirmed three cases of coronavirus and no deaths.
The disease has killed over 7,000 people globally, mainly in China, Italy, Iran and South Korea.
Additional information from Premium Times
