The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says that contrary to reports on social media, no youth corpsmen who participated in the general election were beaten to death.
According to a statement issued Sunday by Director of Press and Public Relations Eddy Megwa, the brutalized corpsman did not die as reported, but recovered after treatment at the hospital.
He added that the brutality of said corps member was a case of mistaken identity.
“Indeed, a corpsman assigned to the LEA Primary School, Lugbe, as ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was brutalized by an angry mob on suspicion that he was involved in the act of taking the fingerprints of the electoral ballots in favor of one of the candidates for president.
“To put the issues in proper perspective, the brutal treatment of the corps member was a case of mistaken identity. This was revealed after an investigation by security agencies.
He also clarified that the member of the body was not part of the criminal gang involved in said event.
Megwa added that the culprits, neither members of the force nor NYSC officials, have been detained by the police.
“The plan, therefore, wishes to call on Nigerians to exercise restraint in matters concerning corps members and other nationally appointed election officials during the general election.”
Mr. Megwa reiterated the scheme’s position on electoral malpractice by any participating body member.
”In any case, the leadership of the scheme will not shield any member of the body who breaks the Electoral Law if found guilty. The leadership wishes to once again admonish the members of the body involved in the conduct of the general elections to ensure the highest degree of neutrality and discipline in their approach to national allocation.
He added that being a member of the body would not prevent them from being prosecuted if there were violations of the Electoral Law.
(YAYA)