By Precious Enaike

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Engineer Oluwadamola Adesola-Solanuye, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider deploying members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to assist in tackling insecurity across the country.

He made the call in Lagos during an interaction with residents and supporters.

Adesola-Solanuye said rising cases of kidnapping and violent crime had overstretched existing security agencies, stressing the need for alternative community-based security measures.

He argued that trained NYSC members could be mobilised, properly trained and deployed to support neighbourhood surveillance and strengthen local security architecture.

“The military is overstretched. We need to activate additional human resources like NYSC members, train them properly and deploy them to support communities,” he said.

The AAC candidate insisted that the proposal was not meant to replace security agencies but to complement their efforts, especially at the community level.

He expressed concern over recent reports of insecurity in parts of the country, warning that continued fear and instability would further slow national development.

At the event, some residents lamented worsening living conditions, including poor infrastructure, unemployment and the rising cost of living.

An elderly resident said many families were struggling to cope with hardship, adding that basic amenities such as roads and electricity remained inadequate in several communities.

Adesola-Solanuye also criticised the demolition of residential buildings in parts of Lagos State, describing it as one of the factors contributing to homelessness and economic hardship.

He pledged that, if elected, his administration would prioritise affordable housing, infrastructure renewal and the protection of residents from forced displacement.

On education, he promised free and compulsory education from primary to tertiary level, as well as the establishment of additional universities across Lagos State.

He added that his government would overhaul public schools to ensure a better learning environment for students.

The AAC candidate also emphasised transparency and accountability in governance, saying public resources must be used for the benefit of citizens.

He urged eligible voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 elections, expressing confidence that the AAC would deliver people-focused governance if voted into office.