The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Sunday clarified that contrary to report making the rounds on the social media, no INEC ad-hoc staff was brutalised by angry mob for allegedly thumbprinting ballot papers in favour of one of the presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
A statement on Sunday by Eddy Megwa,Director, Press and Public Relations said the attention of NYSC Management has been drawn to a story with the caption ‘2023 Elections: Angry mob beats corps member to death’.
The statement which read in part said:
“Indeed, a Corps Member deployed to LEA primary school, Lugbe as INEC ad-hoc staff was brutalised by angry mob on the suspicion that he was involved in the act of thumbprinting ballot papers in favour of one of the presidential aspirants.
“To put issues in proper perspective, the brutalisation of the Corps Member was a case of mistaken identity. This was made known after investigation by the security agencies. In any case, the management of the scheme will not shield any Corps Member that runs foul of the electorial act if found guilty.
“It is imperative to clarify that the Corps Member was not part of the criminal gang involved in the said act.
“Gratifyingly, the culprits who are neither Corps Members nor officials of the National Youth Service Corps have been apprehended by the Police. The brutalised Corps Member did not die as reported but recuperating after treatment at the hospital.
“The Scheme therefore wishes to call on Nigerians to exercise restraint on issues that concern Corps Members and other electoral officers on national assignment during the general elections”.
“Management wishes to once again admonish Corps Members participating in the conduct of the general elections to ensure the highest degree of neutrality and discipline in their approach to the national assignment, as membership of the Corps cannot prevent them from prosecution if there is infraction to the Electoral Act”.
