President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police are the only bodies uniting Nigeria.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, Buhari stated this while speaking at his Daura country home in Katsina State on Sunday when corps members paid him Sallah homage.

“From Lagos, Port Harcourt and other parts of the country, you are at the end of the country. This posting will make you know this place, Daura and you can disabuse the minds of those who are not educated about the other side of the country.

“It is only the NYSC that is merging us together and of course, the Police and soldiers,” the statement quoted the President as telling the NYSC members. 

Buhari told the copers that at every opportunity he has had meeting with  former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon who initiated the NYSC scheme in 1973, he had always expressed his appreciation to him for introducing the scheme.

“The President said they should always emphasize the common values of peaceful co-existence, kindness and hospitality that cut across all cultures and religions in Nigeria.

“President Buhari said the entire nation depends on past and serving youth corps members to bridge the country, since they have the first-hand experience of living with different ethnic groups in various parts of the country, studying their cultures and traditions, and enjoying hospitality, which underpins every community in Nigeria,” the statement added.

Buhari thereafter donated two cows, 10 bags of rice and an undisclosed amount of money to the corpers.