Nine members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Borno State have been ordered to repeat their service year for absconding from their duties.
Five other corps members will serve extended periods ranging from two weeks to four months for absenteeism.
The decisions affect members of the 2025 Batch C who participated in the passing-out parade in Maiduguri on Thursday.
The NYSC State Coordinator, Malam Nasiru Bello, disclosed the sanctions at the ceremony, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The nine corps members were sanctioned for abscondment, while the five others were penalised for failing to meet the attendance requirements of the national service scheme.
The sanctions underscore the NYSC’s disciplinary measures for corps members who violate the rules governing their mandatory national service.
Despite the disciplinary cases, the state coordinator recognised six corps members for their contributions to community development, with three receiving state honours awards and three others earning commendation letters.
Among the award recipients was Tanko Abraham, who implemented a project to improve access to potable water at Government Girls College, Maiduguri.
The project involved constructing three moulded sand structures to accommodate water taps and drilling a water channel to facilitate access to clean water.
Another recipient, Oluwapelumi Joseph, was recognised for an educational support initiative targeting pupils in public schools across Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
Through the initiative, Joseph distributed exercise books, pens and mathematical sets, paid examination fees and provided school uniforms for 40 pupils of Government College, Maiduguri.
Bakare Victoria also received an award for her micronutrient deficiency awareness project, which involved establishing nutrition clubs in schools and planting fruit and moringa trees within the metropolis.
The initiatives were recognised for their contributions to community development and efforts to address local needs through practical interventions.
Addressing the outgoing corps members, Bello urged them to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their orientation camp and service year to build sustainable livelihoods.
He encouraged them to embrace entrepreneurship, become self-employed and create employment opportunities for others, rather than relying solely on paid employment.
The coordinator also charged them to contribute meaningfully to national development by putting their acquired skills to productive use.
Bello further warned the outgoing corps members against travelling at night, advising them to prioritise their personal safety as they prepared to begin the next phase of their lives.
The 2025 Batch C passing-out exercise marked the completion of the service year for eligible corps members, while those sanctioned for misconduct face additional service obligations in line with the penalties announced by the state coordinator.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the NYSC scheme requires corps members to complete their service obligations in accordance with its rules and regulations, with sanctions applicable to violations such as abscondment and absenteeism.
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