The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members that they are not above Nigeria’s laws on cybercrime, cyberbullying and social media conduct.
Nafiu gave the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, stressing that corps members remain citizens bound by the Constitution and other existing laws despite being in national service.
According to him, any corps member accused of cyberbullying, defamation or other online offences will be investigated and handled by relevant law enforcement agencies.
“If someone says you cyberbullied him or her, the police will arrest you with your NYSC identity card, and you will bear that responsibility,” he said.
The NYSC DG also clarified that the scheme is not funded to provide legal representation for corps members involved in criminal or civil cases arising from social media activities.
He said the NYSC may only engage the Legal Aid Council to monitor proceedings or provide pro bono assistance where necessary.
Nafiu added that the scheme has intensified sensitisation campaigns to educate corps members on responsible use of social media and digital platforms.
He, however, said NYSC is not against content creation, but urged corps members to ensure their online activities remain responsible, lawful and respectful.
The warning comes amid growing national concern over cyberbullying, misinformation, online harassment and misuse of digital platforms among young Nigerians.
