The passing-out parade ceremony for the Batch B 2013/2014 corps members across Nigeria was cancelled due to recent security challenges in the country, this is according to the Nigerian federal government.
Premium Times reports that the traditional parade was scheduled to take place on Thursday, 5 June, 2014 but was cancelled by the Nigerian government.
The parade is usually the last official function of the graduates as corps members before they are issued with their discharge certificates.
Meanwhile, some of the graduates affected by the decision of the federal government to cancel the parade have been airing their comments.
Franka Onuche, who served in Rivers State, stated her disappointment by questioning why the government could not provide enough security for corps members across the country.
"I must tell you I'm not happy. I'm disappointed that I was not able witness the parade here in Port Harcourt. We were told that we could not do it because of the security challenges the country is facing right now. But I think the federal government should have provided enough security for corps member all over the nation since they know it's our day and its once in a year for each batch," she said.
Another corps member, Grace Ejioda, who served in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was however, happy with the cancellation considering the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
"The Federal Government has done well by asking us not do the usual pass out parade.
With this whole Boko Haram issue going on around the country now, one has to be very careful because we can never know when they will strike again. Now, it's not as if they have a target, it's usually where there is a crowd.
We really need to try as much as possible to avoid crowds," she said.
However, the National Youth Service Corps Public Relation Officer, Bose Aderibige, told newsmen that the parade was not totally cancelled but rather an alteration was effected on the passing out program.
"It (whole passing out program) was not cancelled. It was all done on a low key. The ceremony was held, awards were given.
"Though there was no parade because we did not want them to be gathered in one place because of the security challenges in the nation. It's only the parade that was cancelled," she said.
It could be recalled that the Boko Haram insurgents have targeted crowded places in their recent attacks.
Only last month, the terror group killed scores of people in a main market in Jos, Plateau through a bomb explosion.
Also, the Islamist militant group also exploded a bomb near a viewing centre in the city of Jos that claimed the lives of at least 3 football fans.
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
