The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun State, has attracted criticism following the circulation of a video showing corps members sleeping in overcrowded conditions inside a multipurpose hall.
The footage, which went viral on social media, showed mattresses placed closely together on the hall floor, prompting concerns about the welfare and accommodation facilities available to corps members.
Economist Professor Pat Utomi described the situation as deplorable, saying young graduates should not be subjected to such conditions. Other social media users also criticised the camp management, describing the overcrowding as an institutional failure.
Some corps members attributed the situation to the large number of graduates mobilised for the 2026 Batch C Stream II orientation exercise. They said NYSC authorities had allowed some participants to leave voluntarily to reduce pressure on available accommodation.
Reacting to the development, the Ogun State Government said registration, screening, credential verification and hostel allocation were handled exclusively by NYSC officials.
The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade, explained that the video captured a temporary arrangement during a registration exercise that continued late into the night. He said corps members awaiting completion of their screening were accommodated in the multipurpose hall, where mattresses were provided.
Akinmade added that Ogun received more than 4,300 prospective corps members for the current batch, compared with slightly over 2,000 in previous batches, placing additional pressure on the camp’s facilities.
He maintained that although the NYSC was responsible for camp management and accommodation, the state government continued to support the agency through interventions aimed at improving corps members’ welfare.
Meanwhile, the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, did not respond to enquiries from Daily Trust on the overcrowding as of the time the report was filed.
The 2026 Batch C Stream II orientation course began on November 4 and is scheduled to end on November 24, 2026.
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