The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme until the country’s worsening insecurity is brought under control.

The Islamic human rights organisation also demanded the immediate discharge of the 20 corps members recently released after spending one week in the custody of kidnappers in Imo State, alongside the payment of allowances covering the entire 2026/2027 service year as compensation.

MURIC’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the demands in a press release issued on Friday.

The organisation said the abduction and subsequent release of the corps members had raised fresh concerns about the safety of young Nigerians participating in the national service scheme.

While expressing gratitude to Almighty Allah for the safe return of the victims, MURIC congratulated their parents and said it would not dwell on the controversy surrounding the circumstances of their release.

However, it stressed the need to address the psychological trauma suffered by the 20 corps members and others who had experienced similar ordeals in the hands of bandits and kidnappers.

“We cannot but conclude that the scheme's greatest challenge is insecurity. We are of the opinion that our young ones do not deserve this punishment,” Akintola said.

He maintained that the Federal Government had a responsibility to protect corps members, describing the government’s obligation as in loco parentis — acting in the place of parents.

“However, in view of the apparent inability to do this, at least presently, we demand the suspension of the NYSC scheme until FG is able to take full control of the security situation in the country,” he said.

Beyond the proposed suspension, MURIC urged the government to discharge the 20 freed corps members immediately and issue them their NYSC discharge certificates.

The organisation further demanded that each of the affected corps members receive the allowances they would have earned throughout the 2026/2027 service year as compensation for their ordeal.

MURIC maintained that the safety and welfare of corps members should be prioritised, arguing that the government should not expose young Nigerians to avoidable danger while they fulfil their national service obligations.