The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director-General, Olakunle Nafiu, has warned corps members against blindly sharing information on social media, especially as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
Nafiu gave the warning on Wednesday during an inspection visit to the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Katsina.
He urged corps members to think critically and verify information before reposting, sharing or commenting on social media content.
According to him, corps members, as graduates, have a duty to help reset society by stopping false or manipulated information from spreading through their platforms.
He said, “Do not believe everything you see on social media. Before you share, think through it. Check the picture and ask when it was first taken and whether there has been any manipulation. “
Nafiu cited old photos and videos falsely presented as recent NYSC incidents as examples of how misinformation can mislead the public. He also urged corps members to be careful with artificial intelligence-generated and digitally altered content, noting that technology has made it harder to tell genuine materials from fake ones.
The DG reminded them that they cannot use their social media accounts to campaign for political parties or interests while identifying as corps members.
He said they could be deployed by INEC as ad-hoc officers during the 2027 elections, describing it as an opportunity to help deliver credible, free and fair polls.
“Your ballot is just one, but doing that assignment will help hundreds and thousands to fulfill their constitutional mandate,” he said.
Nafiu urged them to remain neutral, disciplined and responsible while using their education and skills to contribute to Nigeria’s development.
