The National Youth Service Corps NYSC, in Nigeria has debunked media reports on abandonment of corps members in isolation centres.
According to the statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the NYSC, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi,“Management wishes to state emphatically that the story is inaccurate, and does not in any way represent the true position of things concerning either the corps members in reference, or prospective corps members earlier quarantined in other isolation centres for testing positive to Covid-19″.
She added that some Corps Members of the 2020 Batch “A” deployed to Jigawa State, Northern Nigeria, had to return to the Orientation Camp to conclude the orientation programme earlier truncated in March this year, arising from the coronavirus pandemic tested positive to the dreaded virus upon being tested at the camp.
“It is pertinent to state that before admission into any NYSC camp, both the prospective corps members and corps members as the case may be; and camp officials must undergo Covid-19 test”.
“Those that tested negative were allowed into the camps, while cases of those that tested positive are handled by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC”.
The Jigawa corps members that tested positive to the virus were taken into the State’s isolation centre for treatment and care.
She also said, it is imperative to disclose that the NYSC Jigawa Secretariat, Jigawa State Government and NCDC have been in constant touch with the corps members on their welfare and care.
“There have been agitations from some of them that want to leave the isolation centre to reunite with their families because of the festivities but were turned down until they are certified okay by the NCDC.”
She however said, the Management appealed to those concerned to be patient as all that the NCDC is doing is for their interest and that of other Nigerians.
Mrs. Adenike therefore appealed to the media which it holds in very high esteem as invaluable partners to always cross check issues of this nature with NYSC Management, Jigawa State Government and the NCDC for promotion of balanced and fair reportage.
