Insecurity: Police, NYSC Guarantee Safety Of Plateau Corp Members

Amidst security concerns, the Plateau State Police Command and authorities of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have guaranteed the safety of members whose orientation camp activities commence in the state today.

Recall that the command’s spokesperson, DSP Alabo Alfred, earlier pledged that the corps members were secured throughout camp activities.

Earlier, Naija News reported that indications from Jos, Plateau State, reveal tight security at the new camp of the NYSC at Waye Foundation in Jos South Local Government Area of the state.

This platform gathered that prospective corps members of Batch B, Stream 1, are set to arrive starting Friday (today) at the new camp.

According to Daily Trust, who visited the new camp ground, there was tight security as some members were sighted to have started arriving.

Recount that the spokesperson of the state NYSC, Eddy Megwa, in a statement issued on Tuesday, announced the shifting of the camp from Mangu.

He said, “This is to inform members of the public, especially our esteemed prospective corps members, that the venue of the 2023 Batch ‘B’ Stream One Orientation Camp for Plateau State has been changed from the Permanent Orientation Camp in Mangu to Waye Foundation, by Buken Academy Doi-Du (Temporary NYSC Orientation Camp) in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“All prospective corps members are, by this information, expected to report at the new orientation camp (Waye Foundation by Buken Academy) on the dates specified in their call-up letters. Kindly take note of this new development.”

The shift in the orientation camp venue resulted from the recent killings of more than 200 people in the Mangu Local Government Area, the permanent venue of the Plateau State NYSC campground.

However, assuring members of safety, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyenka, earlier went to inspect the new venue.

In a statement issued by Alfred, he said, “The visit was to ensure the security of corps members deployed to the state and strengthen the existing security arrangement of the camp, corps members, and their management staff.

“The CP went to inspect the place to see how well everyone within the camp is protected.

“In addition to that, the CP has increased the manpower strength to that place. I am sure the military is also doing the same because we have been working with them. Our personnel will be at the camp throughout the three weeks orientation.

“We are also working with the NYSC to make sure wherever the ‘corpers’ are posted, they will be safe, especially those around the trouble areas, so that we don’t get any casualty. We are calling on all corps members deployed to Plateau State to have confidence and be more collaborative with our divisional officers and area commanders by informing them if there is any security challenge.”

Similarly, the state NYSC coordinator of the programme, Esther T. Ikupolati, also said measures have been put in place to secure members.

She noted that “Anytime we are expecting corps members, we try to put a lot of things in place. One of the major things we put in place is the security of the corps members. We ensure that the environment the corps members are living in is safe, and that explains why we find ourselves here today. We have our permanent orientation camp in Mangu with all facilities needed, but in view of the security challenges, we find ourselves here.

“We met with the governor, who has provided us with all the necessary support to actualise our activities here. We have been given adequate security personnel, including soldiers, police, and from other security agencies. We equally engaged local vigilantes who started going round for surveillance. We are calling on parents from wherever to allow their children to come for the orientation exercise. We want to assure them that everything will be okay.“

Speaking further, she explained how the director general of the corps had taken all measures to ensure the safety of all corps members posted to the state, whether at the camp or their primary places of assignment.