By Ghazali Ibrahim 
In a shocking move, the Edo State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Frances Ben-Ushie, has extended the service year of over 30 corps members by 90 days without pay.
The affected corps members, who completed their mandatory one-year service on March 17, 2025, were issued a “Notification of Extension of Service” instead of their NYSC Discharge Certificates.
According to reports, the extension serves as a penalty for the corps members’ complaints about the non-payment of their N77,000 allowance, which was announced in September 2024 but never implemented.
The corps members had expressed their grievances in a WhatsApp group created by an NYSC official, which led to them being summoned for interrogation at the Department of State Services (DSS) office and the NYSC Secretariat.
The NYSC cited the corps members’ alleged involvement in online incitement to protest against the NYSC scheme and the Federal Government as the reason for the extension.
The corps members have been directed to report to the Head of Community Development and Relief (CD&R) at the NYSC Secretariat to begin their extended service period.
This development has sparked concerns about the treatment of corps members and the NYSC’s response to their grievances.
The corps members affected by the extension have expressed frustration and disappointment, feeling that their fundamental human rights have been violated.
