A youth leader on Wednesday declared the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) proscribed, citing actions by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development which, he said, have stripped the body of legal and administrative recognition NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
Speaking at a press conference convened to address developments in the youth leadership space, the speaker His Youthfulness, Comrade Francis Finian Offiono, State Chairman, Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) Cross River state Chapter said the engagement was necessitated by what he described as growing speculation, misinformation and institutional disorder surrounding youth organisations in the country.
According to him, records show that the CAC has withdrawn the certificate of registration of the NYCN, while the Federal Ministry of Youth Development has also suspended the body from operating. He said the combined effect of these actions is that the NYCN currently lacks legal and administrative standing.
“At the moment, the NYCN stands proscribed, meaning it is officially forbidden, banned and rendered illegal by formal institutional actions, which makes its existence or activities unlawful,” he stated.
He stressed that the position presented was not political but factual, insisting that the issues raised were based on institutional decisions rather than personal or factional interests.
“Youth leadership is too important to be driven by speculation or misinformation. This press conference is a deliberate step to communicate vision, structure, legality and expectations in the youth space,” he said.
Offiono added that clarifying the legal status of youth bodies was necessary to safeguard order, credibility and lawful engagement within the sector, noting that further issues relating to youth leadership and organisation would be addressed subsequently.
Efforts to obtain an immediate response from officials of the NYCN on the claims were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
