A female corps member serving in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme has raised alarm after receiving a shocking 122-day service extension without corresponding allowance payments, allegedly due to missed biometric verification exercises during her service year.
The distraught graduate, who goes by the TikTok username @toffy_gee, shared her ordeal on the social media platform, posting both an emotional video and the official NYSC sanction letter that confirmed the punitive extension of her national service.
The displayed document revealed that her mandatory service period was being extended by a staggering four months (122 days) to compensate for an alleged 61-day absence from her place of primary assignment. In subsequent comments, the corps member clarified that these absences resulted from missed biometric clearance exercises - a mandatory monthly verification system implemented by NYSC to monitor corps members' attendance.
The viral post has ignited fierce debate about the fairness of NYSC's penalty system, with many questioning the proportionality of punishing two months' worth of missed verifications with double that time in unpaid service extension. The corps member's visible distress in the video has drawn widespread sympathy from fellow youth corps members and the general public alike.
Reactions from concerned Nigerians:
Wealth👨🏿💻: "I received 96 days extension when I missed biometrics after my father's death. It's painful but we endure."
AYOMITIDE😍: "This penalty seems inconsistent - I missed a whole month's biometrics without consequences."
Funmi🫧: "My heart breaks for you 💔 The biometric system can be so unforgiving."
Nikky's Fabrics Store: "Does this mean CDS attendance violations attract similar harsh extensions?"
Ella-Odunayo: "Same situation here 💔💔 I cried for weeks but September will eventually come."
WATCH THE EMOTIONAL VIDEO APPEAL:
@toffy_gee#fypシ゚ #nysc #nyscextension #nyscnigeria #nyscdiary #pop #nyscsokoto #viral #fyp
♬ original sound – Vosglobalmediatv
This incident has brought renewed scrutiny to NYSC's biometric verification policy, with many corps members sharing similar experiences of severe penalties for technical or logistical issues beyond their control. Human rights advocates are calling for a review of the scheme's disciplinary measures, arguing that unpaid extensions constitute unfair labor practices given that corps members already receive meager allowances.
Legal experts note that while NYSC's operational guidelines permit service extensions for absenteeism, the current implementation appears disproportionately punitive and fails to account for legitimate reasons corps members might miss verifications, such as health challenges, family emergencies, or posting to remote locations with poor network coverage needed for the mobile verification system.
As the video continues circulating, pressure mounts on NYSC officials to address these concerns and consider more humane approaches to enforcing compliance, with many suggesting warning systems or graduated penalties rather than immediate lengthy extensions that disrupt young graduates' career plans and financial stability.