The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Thursday debunked reports alleging the involvement of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to Gombe State in a fatal road crash.
Our correspondent reports that the NYSC orientation camp in Gombe has since opened, with prospective Corps members scheduled to be sworn in on Friday.
A viral post without indicating the state where the alleged crash occurred claimed that 16 persons died, while two others who were critically injured were taken to an unnamed hospital.
However, hours of verification by our correspondent, including inquiries made to relevant authorities, showed that the post was another panic message aimed at discrediting the scheme and discouraging prospective graduates from serving outside their home states.
FRSC Public Relations Officer Janet Kassa said, “I have checked with my colleagues there is no indication this happened in Gombe, not to mention that it even occurred. I have placed series of calls across units and commands to authenticate the post but there is no sign. This may be one of those posts to get comments and views.”
Kassa added that she would notify our correspondent if any credible information emerges: “I will let you know once we come up with fresh revelations but for now it’s not true. It should be disregarded.”
Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said there was no evidence of such a crash within the state.
“We are still investigating to know, but as I speak since morning till now (night), no new findings. In the reports circulated with no mention of hospital where the others were deposited or proper address,” Abdullahi added.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the NYSC in Gombe, Jennifer Laha, also dismissed the circulating images, describing them as suspicious.
“Well I don’t have anything to say at the moment as the headquarters is yet to issue an official statement. However, from the pictures I saw it looked like Artificial Intelligence pictures, from misspellings and all that. Also, NYSC doesn’t give prospective Corps members bus to take to orientation camps. Have you seen an accident where five people only gather,” she added.
