And a community response to it.
So the presidential elections led to some violence, especially in the northern part of the country. Sectarian violence has always been a part of the history of Nigerian, right from Amalgamation, and then independence in 1960. Always, there would arise a reason for the (usually) Muslim northerners to attack the Christian southerners among them and unleash mayhem and death. The worst in recent history was in 1967, and led the civil war in which Biafra tried to secede from Nigeria. The war ended and the NYSC started as one of the strategies to broker complete peace.
Unfortunately this same scheme, and worst of all, the young people that are it's lifeblood, was the target of rioters and murderers who took to the streets to protest the outcome of the presidential elections. These malcontents were offended that their Muslim candidate did not win, and blamed the youth corpers who had been in charge of the polls. Within hours, and lasting for days, youth corpers were pursued along the roads and butchered, locked up in their lodges and set ablaze, and had other atrocious acts perpetrated on them. No official number has been released so far of the number of people who died in the outrage, and no definitive action has been taken by the government so far.
And so Nigeriavillagesquare.com is sponsoring a petition for;
- All youth corpers serving in these volatile states be withdrawn immediately.
- All youth corpers serving in these volatile states be redeployed to other states of their choosing, or be excused for the rest of the service year.
- All youth corpers be excused from serving as electoral officers in the upcoming governorship elections as we are not convinced that adequate and confirmed security can be provided for them.
- The identities of all youth corpers who lost their lives in this violence be made public.
You can click here to sign the petition.
OMG, Myne are you serious about Corpers being targeted? I thought those that got killed were random individuals who got caught in the violence. Oh dear. I'm off to sign that petition.
ReplyDeleteits really painful seriously, thought d country was supposed to protect the youths - tomorrow's leader smh
ReplyDeleteThis indeed is pathetic! Poor innocent lives!...And all they did wrong was to try to serve their land.
ReplyDeleteYou know I never really felt the impact of this when I just heard a few corpers were killed, until the identity of a few of them were released. I was like "OMG! Nigeria why?!!"
Why would people be so heartless and inhumane? Why?!
http://janylbenyl.blogspot.com/
Awful. Such a sad turn of events.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to hear of what has happened, I hope that things calm down and the youth corpers be pulled to safety immediately.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad story. Only God can help naija.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P to all our heroes/heroines. Continue to rest in the bosom of our GOD & see the wrath of GOD visited upon your killers.
ReplyDeletep.s,,i had signed the petition, i strongly believe something new would come out of this.
I read about this, its so sad:( God help Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the comments and those that signed the petition.
ReplyDeleteThank you Myne for posting this...
ReplyDeletePlease let us sign this petition
Words cannot express how tragic this is. I signed the petition, but i doubt it will work. Corpers were there today and i bet they'll still be there come Thursday (for the few states being postponed)
ReplyDeleteAdiya
Myne, the Nigerian senate have called for a review of the NYSC and its policies. Great news - see my blog for more on the story.
ReplyDeleteBlessings.....
ReplyDeleteLord have mercy. Why does there have to be such violence in the world?
It has gotten to a point where the north is now like a no-go area for non northerners. I just feel like Nigeria is in dire need of a divine intervention.
ReplyDeletewell.it's really pathetic,I wonder if Buhari or any of them son or daughter died there,but children of innocent families.
ReplyDeleteMay God help Nigeria.
It's awful but unfortunately not overly surprising. Like you said, violence has been part ofNigerian history. There seems to always be a reason for tension and discord. Why can't people settle their differences amicably?
ReplyDeleteEven if we are able to get the petition attended to in a way that will pls us, if the government does not with immediate effect start putting necessary measures in place to curb violence in Nigeria, we will still have issues to contend with in the future.
ReplyDelete