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Stakeholders Asked FG to Enrich NYSC Scheme to Mould Employable Graduates
Stakeholders Asked FG to Enrich NYSC Scheme to Mould Employable Graduates
By: Michael Mike
The federal government has been asked to review and enrich the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to give Nigerian graduates the needed skillset and experience that will make them employable.
The federal government has also been asked to work in conjunction with international donor agencies to expand the budget to the mentorship of fresh graduates in employment skills.
These are the positions that came out of a town hall meeting of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The NJFP initiative was born from the dynamic partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). and funded by the European Union. It is a transformative youth empowerment initiative designed to address youth unemployment by connecting talented graduates with local job opportunities to strengthen their expertise while equipping them with world-class practical knowledge and relevant skills.
Speaking at the town hall meeting, one of the CEOs of the host organisations, Elevation Craft, Tongrick Byanyiko, said it would be of great impact on youth empowerment and security of the country if a large portion of the population could be enlisted into the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) and related programmes.
She said: “I don’t know how realistic it is for everyone to benefit from it, but I feel the budget needs to be expanded for more people to benefit from it.”
She added that the NYSC could also be a tool to make fresh graduates employable and it should not be seen as an institution to get corps members acclimatized with Nigerian diverse culture alone.
She said: “We know employers keep hammering on experience, NYSC should be made to give great skills to Nigerian graduates that would give them needed experience and skills that would make them employable.
“The NYSC needs to imbibe the core employability status to the scheme, so that people would know that that one year is the time for me to get the needed work experience.”
On her part, Chief of Party, Talent Management Company (TMC) North Central, Dr. Funmilayo Oyefusi said: “As a Talent Management Company (TMC) and implementing partner since July 2024 where we were onboarded/engaged as the TMC for North Central region comprising six states in Nigeria (Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, Kwara, and the FCT), we have registered 256 New Host
Organisations, visited and verified 349 Host Organisations, verified and found 207 Host
Organisations eligible, matched 418 Fellows with about 51 Host Organisations and 250 Fellows resumed their fellowship in North Central.
“Of course, this is an ongoing success. It is not just another project where only numbers will be looked out for but, it is more than a project/programme. It is a commitment to tackling the pressing challenges of youth unemployment while cultivating a generation of leaders equipped with world-class skills, practical expertise, and the confidence to shape Nigeria’s destiny.
She added that: “Today’s Town Hall Meeting provides us with a unique opportunity—not only to reflect on the strides we have made through NJFP but also to listen, to engage, and to inspire one another. It is a space where success stories will echo as proof of what we can achieve together and where innovative ideas will emerge to refine and expand the impact made in the lives of these Fellows.
“The young people we are empowering today are not just our future leaders; they are the change makers of today. They are the engine of growth, creativity, and resilience in every sector of our economy. And through the NJFP, we are making sure their voices are heard, their skills are sharpened, and their contributions to national development are celebrated.”
She noted the federal government has done incredibly well by having the programme as an initiative funded by the European Union and managed by the UNDP.”
She added that: “The federal government has done very well for we have been able to match 9,000 graduates to host organisations to work. What we should do further is to recruit more graduates into the programme so that we can match them with the host organisations and build their skills.”
Stakeholders Asked FG to Enrich NYSC Scheme to Mould Employable Graduates
Troops storm bandit leader’s camp in Zamfara, neutralise 20, destroy stronghold
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the 8 Division, Nigerian Army, operating under Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have stormed the camp of a notorious bandit leader, Gwaska Dan Karmi, in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, neutralising 20 terrorists and destroying the stronghold.
A military source told Zagazola Makama that the decisive, well-coordinated offensive followed credible intelligence that over 100 bandits had converged at the camp to plan coordinated attacks on communities and logistics movements.
According to the source, the troops, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and local vigilantes, conducted week-long surveillance before moving to intercept the terrorists.
“Contact was established on Jan. 31, 2026, as the terrorists advanced. They engaged the troops in a fierce firefight and attempted a flanking manoeuvre, but this was repelled by superior firepower,” the source said.
He said 20 terrorists were neutralised in the encounter, while several others fled with gunshot wounds. Follow-up operations, the source added, were ongoing to assess further casualties and recover additional items.
The raid yielded significant recoveries, including assorted weapons and ammunition, bicycles, food supplies, medical drugs, clothing, detergents and other logistics materials.
“The Gwaska Dan Karmi camp was completely destroyed,” the source said.
He noted that troops remained highly motivated, with combat efficiency assessed as strong and unwavering.
Troops storm bandit leader’s camp in Zamfara, neutralise 20, destroy stronghold
Army troops, police rescue abducted victim in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Army troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with the Zamfara State Police Command, have rescued an abducted man in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.
Sources said that the incident occurred on Jan. 29, when armed bandits invaded the residence of Abdullahi Isah Nagari on the outskirts of Tsafe town and abducted him to an unknown destination.
According to the source, troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Tsafe Division promptly mobilised to launch a coordinated rescue operation.
“During a thorough search of the surrounding bushes, the victim was successfully located and rescued. He was found tied to a tree with a machete cut injury on his hand,” the source said.
The sources added that the victim was immediately taken to the General Hospital, Tsafe, where he was receiving medical attention.
The source said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the perpetrators, while security patrols had been intensified in the area to prevent further occurrences.
Army troops, police rescue abducted victim in Zamfara
U.S. official heads to Mali to reset ties, boost Sahel cooperation
By: Zagazola Makama
A senior official of the United States Government, Nick Checker, is travelling to Bamako to convey Washington’s respect for Mali’s sovereignty and explore a new course in bilateral relations between the two countries.
This is according to a statement issued by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs.
The statement said Checker, a Senior Bureau Official at the State Department, would engage Malian authorities on ways to move past previous policy missteps and rebuild cooperation.
It added that the United States was looking forward to discussing next steps for enhancing U.S.–Mali relations, particularly in the areas of security and economic development.
“The United States also plans to consult with other governments in the region, including Burkina Faso and Niger, on shared security and economic interests,” the statement said.
It noted that the visit underscored Washington’s desire to strengthen engagement with Sahelian countries amid ongoing regional security and political challenges.
The Bureau said the discussions would focus on practical ways to promote stability, respect for sovereignty and mutually beneficial cooperation across the Sahel.
U.S. official heads to Mali to reset ties, boost Sahel cooperation
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Troops storm bandit leader’s camp in Zamfara, neutralise 20, destroy stronghold
Army troops, police rescue abducted victim in Zamfara
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