The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, has warned corps members against using social media or their NYSC identity to campaign for political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The warning came on Wednesday during Nafiu’s working visit to the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II Orientation Course at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Katsina State.
The NYSC boss said corps members were required to remain politically neutral throughout their service year and cautioned that those who used their platforms to promote partisan interests could face sanctions.
“As corps members, you are not permitted to campaign for any political party or candidate. If your social media activities are traced to political promotion while wearing the NYSC identity, appropriate action will be taken,” Nafiu warned.
He urged the corps members to exercise restraint as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, stressing that their conduct could affect public confidence in the national service scheme.
Nafiu also cautioned them against becoming conduits for misinformation, particularly manipulated photographs, videos and artificial intelligence-generated content capable of misleading the public.
He advised corps members to verify the source, date and authenticity of information before sharing or reposting it on social media.
“You don’t just share or repost blindly. Think through what you receive. Verify the source, check when the picture was taken, and determine whether it has been manipulated by AI. Technology has changed the information space completely,” he said.
The NYSC DG described corps members as important stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic process, noting that many of them would be deployed as ad hoc electoral personnel during the 2027 elections.
He urged them to regard the assignment as an opportunity to strengthen the credibility of the electoral process rather than participate in partisan activities.
According to him, corps members could make a greater contribution to democracy by helping eligible Nigerians exercise their voting rights than by engaging in political campaigns.
“You contribute more to democracy by helping thousands of Nigerians exercise their voting rights than by casting only your own vote. Your service will help deliver credible, free and fair elections,” Nafiu said.
The warning comes amid growing political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, with social media expected to play a major role in political campaigns, public advocacy and voter mobilisation.
The directive also places renewed focus on the balance between corps members’ personal expression on social media and the political neutrality expected of them during their service year.
The issue attracted national attention in 2025 after a corps member, Rita Ushie Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, became embroiled in controversy following a viral TikTok video in which she criticised economic hardship and President Bola Tinubu.
The NYSC later withheld her Certificate of National Service and extended her service by two months, attributing the action to her failure to undergo a mandatory biometric clearance.
However, the decision sparked public criticism, with rights advocates arguing that the sanction was connected to her political comments. Amnesty International also criticised the action, saying peaceful criticism was constitutionally protected.
The NYSC maintained that its action was based on failure to complete the required biometric clearance and not her comments about the government.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the NYSC’s latest warning signals a tougher approach to partisan activities by serving corps members, particularly on social media, where political content can spread rapidly and reach large audiences.
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