Reps Order INEC to Pay Insurance Claims for Injured, Fallen NYSC Corps Members

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately settle all outstanding insurance payments due to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members injured or killed while serving as ad hoc staff during elections.

The directive followed a presentation on Friday by the Director General of the NYSC, represented by the Director of Welfare, Omotade Ayodele Folorunsho, who disclosed that corps members injured during the 2023 general elections had not received the N1 million insurance cover stipulated in the MoU between the NYSC and INEC.

Folorunsho revealed that two corps members were shot in Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State, while another suffered a similar attack in Akwa Ibom State, leaving all three with permanent disabilities.

He noted that although the NYSC had paid their hospital bills and provided temporary support, INEC’s insurance obligations remained outstanding.

He also lamented the broader pattern of neglect experienced by corps members deployed for election duty.

“Ten corps members were killed during the 2011 general election. Yet the welfare, safety, and dignity of corps members continue to be treated as an afterthought,” he said.

Folorunsho painted a grim picture of the welfare conditions corps members face during elections.

“They are paid N4,000 for three to five days of training and N13,500 for election day duty. In most cases, these corps members don’t even have a place to sleep. Some of them sleep on bare floors, and the following day, they don’t even have water to bathe,” he added.

He proposed that the Office of the National Security Adviser take over the deployment of corps members during elections to better guarantee their safety.

Following the presentation, Hon. Alex Egbona moved a motion, unanimously adopted, directing INEC to compel the responsible insurance company to pay all outstanding claims within four weeks.

The committee stressed that the lives of young Nigerians must not be taken for granted.

Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, described corps members as essential partners in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections.

“For decades, corps members have formed the backbone of election day operations across the federation. They carry the burden of ensuring that voting is transparent, orderly, and credible,” he said.

Balogun condemned the frequent intimidation, violence, and harassment corps members face at polling units.

“No election is worth the life of even one young Nigerian. The security, welfare, and dignity of corps members must not be negotiable,” he stated.

The committee insisted that Nigeria must urgently revisit the conditions under which corps members serve during elections, including improvements in security arrangements, compensation, training, logistics, insurance, and general welfare.

The lawmakers vowed to ensure that INEC and relevant agencies meet their obligations to the young Nigerians who continue to play a critical role in sustaining the country’s electoral process.