In a controversial move, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Edo State has extended the service year of over 30 corps members by 90 days without pay as punishment for protesting the non-payment of their 77,000 allowance in a WhatsApp group.
The affected corps members, who were due to pass out on March 17, 2025, were instead handed “Notification of Extension of Service” letters, citing their alleged involvement in online incitement against the scheme and the Federal Government.
Reports indicate that the WhatsApp group—originally created by an NYSC official—became a forum where corps members voiced grievances over the unpaid stipends. The discussions led to individual summons by the Department of State Services (DSS) and NYSC officials, culminating in the punitive extension.
One of the affected corps members revealed that they were interrogated for merely expressing their frustrations online. “I was told I had an extension for exercising my fundamental human rights through a WhatsApp discussion. Before we knew it, an extension of service awaited us,” the corps member lamented.
A September 6, 2024, query letter issued to one of the corps members accused them of inciting others to protest and warned of severe disciplinary action. The final extension letter, dated March 17, 2025, confirmed the decision, stating that their NYSC discharge certificates would be withheld until they completed the extended service.
The development has sparked outrage, with critics questioning the fairness of penalizing corps members for demanding their entitlements. Meanwhile, affected individuals have been directed to report to the Head of Community Development and Relief (CD&R) at the NYSC Secretariat to commence their extended service.
