From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter has debunked the rumor making the round on social media alleging that the Chapter has embarked on unjustified award dishing programme at Reverton Hotel, Lokoja.
The Chairman of the Kogi Chapter of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ambassador Usman Ogohi Samuel in a statement made available to Journalists in Lokoja on Friday, clarified that the council did not organize, collaborate or in anyway involved in any award dishing event.
He said that the peddlers of the rumour, perpetrated the act in a disguised name that deceived the public to think it is the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter.
According to the statement “National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter is the Umbrella Youth Organization in the state, saddled with the responsibility of advocating, lobbying, formulating and supporting government policies in the interest of the Youths of the state; with hundreds of affiliated youth organizations under her wings.
“The said group NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF KOGI STATE YOUTH is not in anyway affiliated or known to the National Youth Council of Nigeria and our investigation with the Corporate Affairs Commission also shows it is not a lawfully registered association.
“To this end, the General Public is advised to always carryout background checks on organizations, groups and associations seeking to award them for one deed or the other, especially those operating in guise of other credible and well meaning organization like in this case.
“We also shall be considering the appropriate legal action to take as a council, we also call on the proponents of all other criminal beer parlour award dishing associations to desist from hiding under the good name of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter to mislead the unsuspecting public.
“The National Youth Council of Nigeria has been in existence for over 60 years and it is known worldwide. Coining a name to insinuate the objective of the National Youth Council of Nigeria is misleading and criminal as the Council remains the only legitimate mouth piece of Kogi Youths.
“We also call on the Nigerian Police, the DSS and other law enforcement outfits and the general public to arrest them and hand over for prosecution anybody found to be impersonating or using any name capable of misleading the public by depicting the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi State.
“The faceless and quack group NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF KOGI STATE YOUTHS shall be unmasked and dealt with decisively”