The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has debunked claims that it expended the February stipends meant for corps members to pay off bandits.
It was rumoured that the money allocated for the February stipends has been used to settle bandits and will be paid to the corps members at the end of March.
Many corps members have expressed fears over the unusual delay in the payment of their allowances.
The development had come amid rising cases of abductions across the country.
But in a statement on Sunday, NYSC asked members of the public to disregard such reports, describing it as “fake news”.
The NYSC also urged corps members and the public to visit only platforms authorised by the body for updates about its activities.
“The management of the National Youth Service Corps wishes to alert members of the public, especially Corps Members to the fake news currently trending, which states that corps members will be paid the February monthly stipend at the end of March 2021.
“The fake information claimed that the fund appropriated for the stipend had been expended on the settlement of bandits.
“Management enjoins all to disregard in its entirety the story which is the handiwork of mischief-makers.
“Management admonishes the originators of this falsehood to refrain from such criminal acts. Corps Members are advised as always to only rely on the information on the NYSC platforms.”
