The National Youth Service Corps on Saturday in Abuja stated that media reports about involvement of three corps members in Suleja, Niger State in robbery were a case of mistaken identity.
Already, two of the suspects have been released following the intervention of the Niger State government through the Office of the Secretary to the Government and the Ministry of Youth Development, while the process of securing the release of the third suspect is on-going.
The NYSC Director (Press and Public Relations), Mrs. Bose Aderibigbemade clarifications on the alleged crime.
She said, “It was a case of mistaken identity. They arrested our corps members and said they were the armed robbers that came to their shop. But further investigations by security agencies revealed that they were not and it was a case of mistaken identity. Some armed robbers went to harass some people in Suleja but the robbers were not corps members.”
Aderibigbe, in the statement, said after the arrest of the three corps members, the NYSC, “acting in line with the position of the law that an accused person is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, promptly reached out to key stakeholders including the Niger State Police Command and state government in order to ensure that the corps members did not suffer unduly.”
She added, “Without prejudice to the investigative duties of the appropriate law enforcement agency, we have it on good authority that preliminary findings had shown that the accusation against the trio was based only on circumstantial evidence.
“Following the joint intervention of the NYSC scheme and the state government through the Office of the Secretary to the Government and the Ministry of Youth Development, two of the accused corps members have since been released while the process of securing the release of the third is on-going.”
The NYSC assured the public especially parents and guardians of corps members that no member of the scheme would suffer for an offence not committed.
According to her, the provisions of the NYSC Bye-Laws are clear on the involvement of corps members in criminal acts, though very unlikely, as their participation in the scheme does not confer immunity from prosecution.
All corps members in Suleja are, therefore, enjoined to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation.”
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