NYSC Slaps Corps Members with 90-Day Service Extension Over WhatsApp Complaints on Unpaid Allowance
Over 30 corps members in Edo State have had their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year extended by 90 days without pay, allegedly as punishment for complaining about the non-payment of their N77,000 allowance in a WhatsApp group, Undergragra Nigeria has learned.
The affected corps members, who were due to complete their mandatory one-year service on March 17, 2025, were instead issued a “Notification of Extension of Service” rather than their NYSC Discharge Certificates. Reports indicate that the extension serves as retribution for their discussions regarding unpaid stipends.
Sources revealed that an NYSC official initially created the WhatsApp group, which was managed by an anonymous administrator under the title “Group Update on 77k Allowance.” The group became a platform where corps members voiced their grievances over the unpaid allowance.
“We were discussing it and airing our grievances. After a few days, we were summoned individually to the Department of State Services (DSS) office and the NYSC Secretariat for interrogation. Nothing happened immediately after that. But on the day of the passing-out parade, we were suddenly told we had an extension of service for simply exercising our fundamental human rights through WhatsApp discussions,” one of the affected corps members revealed.
Another corps member was issued a query letter on September 6, 2024, for allegedly inciting fellow corps members to protest against the NYSC scheme and the Federal Government. The letter demanded a written explanation as to why severe disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
Following these events, the corps members were individually questioned by the DSS and NYSC officials. However, no immediate action was taken until they were later informed of their service extension.
In their extension letters, the NYSC accused the corps members of online incitement and cited the NYSC Bye-Laws as justification for the punitive measure. The letters instructed them to report to the Head of Community Development and Relief (CD&R) at the NYSC Secretariat to commence their extended service period.
The service extension letter, dated March 17, 2025, titled “Notification of Extension of Service,” stated in part:
“I write to inform you that, consequent upon your involvement in online incitement of other Corps members to protest against the Scheme and the Federal Government, the CDC has recommended the extension of your service by 90 days, in accordance with Schedule 1, Article 11, (iii) on page 15 and Schedule 2, Article 1 (m) on page 18 of the NYSC Bye-Laws.
“Accordingly, your Certificate of National Service (CNS) will not be released until you have served the required number of days for which your service has been extended.
“You are to report to the Head of CD&R at the NYSC Secretariat whenever you are ready to commence the extension of service.”
The decision has sparked outrage among the affected corps members and raised concerns over the NYSC’s disciplinary measures against those who express grievances through social media platforms.
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