The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members against joining political campaigns or using their NYSC identities to support political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Nafiu also cautioned them about misinformation and AI-generated content. He urged corps members to verify information before sharing or reposting it on social media.
NYSC DG Warns Against Political Campaigns
The NYSC director-general gave the warning on Wednesday during his visit to the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II Orientation Course at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Katsina, Arise TV reported.
Nafiu reminded corps members that they must stay away from partisan political activities during their service year. He said they must remain neutral and avoid actions that could affect the integrity of the NYSC scheme. He also warned that corps members could face disciplinary action if they used their NYSC identities to promote political parties or candidates online.
Nafiu Cautions Corps Members Over AI Content
The NYSC boss also raised concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence to create misleading content. He noted that AI can now produce convincing photographs, videos and other digital materials that may not reflect reality.
Nafiu therefore urged corps members to check the source of information before sharing it. He advised them to confirm when an image or video was created and check whether someone had digitally altered the material. The warning comes ahead of the 2027 general elections, where corps members are expected to play important roles as ad hoc personnel during the electoral process.
Corps Members Urged to Support Credible Elections
Nafiu described their expected role in the 2027 elections as an important civic responsibility. He urged corps members to carry out their duties without bias and support the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
The NYSC DG also encouraged them to take part in the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme. He said learning vocational and entrepreneurial skills could improve their chances of finding opportunities in a competitive economy.
He explained that the orientation course prepares corps members for the demands of national service. The programme promotes discipline, leadership, teamwork, obedience and a strong sense of responsibility. Military drills and Man O’ War obstacle exercises also form part of the programme. According to Nafiu, the activities help corps members build resilience and develop teamwork.
1,333 Corps Members Attend Katsina Orientation
Earlier, the Katsina State NYSC Coordinator, Evans Okwor, said 1,333 corps members had registered for the orientation exercise. The figure includes 759 male and 574 female corps members. Okwor also said 363 officials were helping to run the programme. He explained that 173 NYSC officials and 190 personnel from partner agencies were taking part in the exercise.
Okwor added that the camp clinic had 40 medical personnel and enough essential medicines to attend to the health needs of participants. Since the orientation began, 783 corps members and 40 camp officials have received medical attention, according to the coordinator. He said medical workers referred 14 cases to the General Hospital, Katsina, while two patients remained on admission at the time of his report.
Malaria, typhoid, asthma, peptic ulcer disease, body pains and blood pressure-related conditions were among the health issues recorded at the camp. The coordinator praised the corps members for maintaining discipline and adapting well to the camp’s daily activities.
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