Outrage as 4,300 Corps Members Overcrowd Ogun NYSC Camp

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has come under criticism following the emergence of a viral video showing prospective corps members sleeping in overcrowded conditions at its orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun State.

The footage, which circulated on social media on Monday, showed graduates packed into a multipurpose hall, with mattresses arranged closely together on the floor, leaving little room for movement. Some prospective corps members were also reportedly sharing mattresses.

The hall, ordinarily used for events, was converted into a temporary sleeping area to accommodate the increasing number of participants, raising concerns about their welfare and the adequacy of facilities at the camp.

The Ogun State Government attributed the situation to a sharp increase in the number of prospective corps members deployed to the state, disclosing that more than 4,300 reported for the current exercise compared with slightly over 2,000 in previous batches.

The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade, said the arrangement captured in the video was temporary and occurred during registration, which extended into the night.

He explained that screening, credential verification and hostel allocation were handled by NYSC officials, adding that prospective corps members awaiting the completion of these processes were accommodated in the multipurpose hall with mattresses provided.

Akinmade said the state government had supported the exercise by providing 500 mattresses, while the Akarigbo of Remo donated 100 mattresses and subsequently supplied another 200.

He also recalled that Governor Abiodun had approved ₦50,000 each for 3,050 corps members in the 2026 Batch C, Stream I, to assist with transportation expenses.

The development attracted condemnation from several Nigerians, including economist Pat Utomi, who questioned why poor conditions in public institutions continued to be normalised.

Utomi described the accommodation arrangements as unacceptable, insisting that young Nigerians participating in national service deserved decent facilities and dignity.

Similarly, civic technology and accountability organisation MonITNG called on the NYSC Director-General and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to investigate the incident and improve accommodation, healthcare, sanitation, feeding and security at orientation camps.

The organisation also alleged that some prospective corps members had been asked to return home because of inadequate accommodation, while others struggled to secure sleeping spaces.

Meanwhile, the controversy extended to the NYSC orientation camp in Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, following the circulation of another video purportedly showing female corps members sleeping in an incomplete building without toilets or bathrooms.

The NYSC had yet to issue a substantive public response to the concerns surrounding the accommodation arrangements in Ogun State as of the time of filing the report.

The Ogun State NYSC Public Relations Officer, Tejumade Awoleye, declined to comment, saying the state coordinator and Director-General were better positioned to address the matter.

The incident has renewed calls for improved planning and adequate infrastructure at orientation camps to accommodate prospective corps members and protect their welfare during the compulsory national service programme.