The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members that the scheme has no funding for legally defending any of them dragged to court over cyberbullying.
According to him, corps members are not exempt from Nigeria’s cyberbullying and social media laws during their mandatory national service year.
Nafiu said this during an interview programme with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, emphasising that corps members remained subject to constitutional provisions and laws regulating online conduct.
According to him, corps members remain citizens of Nigeria and are fully subject to provisions of the Constitution and other extant laws regulating online conduct, cyber activities and public behaviour nationwide.
Nafiu explained that allegations of cyberbullying against corps members would be investigated and handled by relevant law enforcement agencies in accordance with the law, regardless of their status as serving corps members.
He added that the NYSC was not mandated to provide legal representation for corps members involved in criminal or civil matters arising from social media activities and other online engagements.
“The fact that they are corps members does not absolve them from being citizens bound by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“If someone says you cyberbullied him or her, the police will arrest you with your NYSC identity card and you will bear that responsibility.
“I am not funded to provide legal representation for you in court.
“What we do is engage the Legal Aid Council to monitor proceedings,” Nafiu said while explaining the scheme’s responsibilities.
According to him, the Legal Aid Council can provide pro bono legal services for corps members where necessary, particularly in situations requiring legal support during investigations or proceedings before competent courts.
Nafiu said the scheme had intensified sensitisation campaigns to educate corps members on responsible use of social media and digital communication platforms amid growing concerns over cyberbullying and online misconduct.
“The rule of the game has changed. You cannot just go online calling out people because someone can accuse you of cyberbullying,” Nafiu warned corps members.
He, however, noted that the NYSC had adjusted its communication strategies to reflect changing realities among younger Nigerians participating in the national service programme across different states and communities nationwide.
