The National Youth Service Corps has doused fears over the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State with an assurance of the commitment of security agencies to protect corps members deployed as ad-hoc staff.

Already, the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, is expected to visit traditional rulers including the Obi of Onitsha, HRH Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe and religious leaders to discuss ways of ensuring peace.

Ibrahim in an interview said he was in touch with the General Officer Commanding the Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army who gave an assurance that there would be no cause for alarm.

He said, “I will be in Anambra this week to meet the Obi of Onitsha, Anglican and Catholic bishops because they are strong there. I will plead with them to tell their children not to touch corps members.

“The corps members are neutral; they are not indigenes of Anambra State. Just like their own children are in other states, other people children are in Anambra.

“They should be protected. The GOC told me about the reinforcement and assured me that it would go smoothly. We are working closely with the security agencies. Last week, I was with the GOC. The GOC assured me that the corps members would be safe. The use of corps members in an election is voluntary as we don’t force corps members to participate.

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“I can’t also tell the exact number of corps members to be used because someone can join today and tomorrow would say he or she is not doing again. What if I say 2,000 then at the end of the day it’s 1,000?

He assured that the NYSC would work with security agencies to ensure the security of all corps members working during the governorship elections.