“Sokoto Isn’t Safe,” Sultan Warns Youth Corps Members
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has issued a warning to National Youth Service Corps members stationed in Sokoto that the northern state is not safe due to the country’s continuing insecurity.
Nigerians who want the scheme scrapped, according to the Muslim spiritual leader, are enemies of the country.
“I urge you to be security conscious while staying in Sokoto. You know there are security challenges now all over the world. We have our own share also.
”You should not keep late nights, and if you have any challenges contact your district head because they are like your father and guardian,” he said.
Mr Abubakar spoke when he hosted some selected NYSC Batch A stream 2 Corps members posted to Sokoto in his palace on Monday.
“I heard there are efforts for the scrapping of the NYSC scheme. I assure you that those behind that struggle do not mean well for this country,” Mr Abubakar said.
Given the current situation, in which Nigeria is almost divided along ethnic and religious lines, he believes the NYSC scheme is the most important program.
Mr Abubakar encouraged the corps members to think of the state as their second home and to take advantage of the opportunities available there.
The paramount ruler urged the corps members to respect the customs and traditions of their host communities while also stressing the importance of security in some areas of the state.
He gave assurance that there would not be any reprisal because a northerner had been killed in Owerri, Enugu, or Aba, insisting that another person should not be punished because of what someone did elsewhere.
He added that Nigeria’s two major religions, Christianity and Islam, did not support killing innocent people.
(NAN)
