Corps members decry poor camp facilities

Corps members in several states have raised concerns about accommodation, water supply, electricity and other facilities at National Youth Service Corps orientation camps, Sunday PUNCH findings reveal.

The graduates, who are undergoing orientation exercises in Nasarawa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Gombe and other states, reported varying challenges, including overcrowded hostels, inadequate beds, irregular electricity and water shortages.

Some said they had to sleep in corridors or classrooms before securing bed spaces, while others depended on rechargeable lamps and water supplied by tankers.

Their concerns come days after a video showing prospective corps members sleeping in an overcrowded hall at the NYSC orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun State, went viral, drawing public attention to accommodation arrangements and facilities at the camps.

The development prompted Sunday PUNCH to examine conditions at orientation camps in other states.

Nasarawa

In Nasarawa State, some corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Keffi Local Government Area raised concerns about accommodation, toilet and bathroom facilities, water supply and electricity.

A corps member, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said the available accommodation appeared insufficient for the number of participants posted to the state.

He said the congestion had made the three-week orientation exercise challenging, adding that some participants sought permission to leave the camp to make alternative accommodation arrangements.

“The state of the facilities and hostels is not good enough. They are also congested. The toilets and bathrooms need attention. There is no running water at all,” he said.

Another corps member said residents of her hostel had to rely on rechargeable lamps during a prolonged power outage.

“I don’t know about other hostels, but in my hostel, there was no light. We stayed five days without electricity. I can say the facility is below average,” she said.

Oyo

In Oyo State, a female corps member at the NYSC camp in Iseyin said she slept in a corridor for six days before securing a bed space.

She said the accommodation arrangements were challenging and expressed concern about the availability of toilets and bathrooms.

“No hostel space. I just secured a bed space after six days, and it is not even comfortable. I have been sleeping outside in one of the corridors,” she said.

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi State, corps members at the NYSC camp at McGregor Secondary School, Afikpo, raised concerns about the availability of beds, electricity, water and the condition of some hostel facilities.

Some also called for improvements to doors and windows in parts of the accommodation facilities.

One of them, who identified himself as Moses, said the lack of regular electricity and adequate beds had affected their comfort.

“The situation of the camp is worrisome. No light in the camp, and in some hostels, no beds to lay down. This is not nice at all,” he said.

Another corps member, who asked to be called Maurice, called for improvements to the facilities, particularly the provision of regular water and electricity.

“Some of the hostels lack strong doors and windows,” he added.

An NYSC staff member, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that some orientation camps faced infrastructure and maintenance challenges.

The official said the concerns were not limited to Ebonyi, adding that sustained attention was needed to improve facilities across the country.

“This is not just an Ebonyi case. It’s a nationwide thing. The state of our orientation camps across the country needs attention. It’s our expectation that something will be done soon,” the official said.

Sokoto

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the NYSC was using the hostels and classrooms of a state-owned polytechnic as a temporary orientation camp while renovation work continued at its permanent facility in Wamakko Local Government Area, Sokoto State.

About 1,600 prospective corps members were accommodated at the temporary facility.

The NYSC spokesperson in the state, Idris Sani, confirmed the arrangement, saying additional toilets had been constructed to cater for the participants.

He explained that while some corps members were accommodated in the polytechnic’s hostels, others used classrooms.

Sani described the permanent orientation camp as one of the best in the country and expressed optimism that the ongoing renovation would improve its facilities and accommodation arrangements.

Gombe

In Gombe State, Sunday PUNCH gathered that the NYSC was still operating from a temporary facility in Amada, Akko Local Government Area, pending the completion of its permanent orientation camp in Yamaltu-Deba LGA.

The temporary facility, formerly a technical college, has makeshift structures, including a pavilion that is sometimes affected by thunderstorms during the rainy season.

Corps members, who spoke with our correspondents on Thursday, said they depended on commercial water tankers for their daily needs, adding that delays in their arrival sometimes resulted in shortages.

The permanent orientation camp in Yamaltu-Deba is yet to be completed, although the project has reportedly reached more than 85 per cent completion.

Jigawa and Akwa Ibom

In Jigawa State, irregular electricity supply has remained a challenge at the General Yakubu Gowon NYSC Orientation Camp, Fanisau, Dutse.

The state NYSC Coordinator, Mohammed Baba, said the facility relied on generators because of the absence of regular electricity supply.

He appealed to Governor Umar Namadi to fulfil his promise to provide a 250KVA generator, explaining that the 150KVA generator currently available could not power the entire camp.

In Akwa Ibom State, corps members commended the serene environment at the permanent orientation camp in Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai Local Government Area, but raised concerns about electricity supply.

A corps member, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said the generator was operated at specific periods, making it difficult for residents to have uninterrupted access to electricity.

“They turn on the generator and turn it off by 4pm. Then they turn it on again from 7pm to 10pm for us to charge our phones and other gadgets.

“I didn’t like the part of not sleeping throughout the night with a fan. Some of the fans were not working, so we had to endure the weather,” she said.

Delta

In Delta State, corps members gave mixed accounts of their experiences at the permanent orientation camp in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area.

While some described the accommodation and basic facilities as satisfactory, others raised concerns about food quality, water supply and sanitation.

One of the corps members, identified simply as Evans, said the quality and quantity of food provided needed improvement.

“The quality was so poor, but I believe they can do better,” he said.

Another corps member, Favour, said the accommodation was good, noting that new beds had been provided to replace old and damaged ones.

She also described the water and electricity supply as satisfactory.

Interventions in Bauchi, Plateau, Abia and Benue

Meanwhile, some state governments have introduced measures to improve facilities at their NYSC orientation camps.

In Bauchi State, Sunday PUNCH learnt that the orientation camp in Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area, had undergone renovation, including the refurbishment of hostels, construction of a multipurpose hall and repairs to sections of the perimeter fence.

The state NYSC Public Relations Officer, Jacob Unogwu, said the camp had adequate accommodation and other essential facilities for corps members and officials, with a capacity of approximately 2,000 participants.

Similarly, the Plateau State Government commenced the renovation and expansion of its permanent orientation camp in Mangu Local Government Area while providing a temporary facility for orientation exercises.

In January 2026, the government announced extensive renovation and expansion works at the permanent camp, including improvements to staff quarters and water facilities.

It also disclosed plans to convert the camp’s electricity supply from the national grid to solar energy to improve power availability.

In Abia State, the permanent orientation camp at Umunna, Bende Local Government Area, has also undergone renovation, with the state government approving a second phase of work.

The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Yunusa Tanimu, said the government had renovated the corps members’ hostels and multipurpose hall and constructed internal roads.

He added that the second phase would cover staff accommodation and other key operational areas.

In Benue State, Sunday PUNCH gathered that the Police Training School adjacent to the NYSC orientation camp in Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area, provided additional accommodation and facilities during periods of increased demand.

A corps member, who identified himself simply as Donald, said some participants were accommodated in the police training school’s hostels and used its water and toilet facilities when the NYSC camp became overcrowded.

The Benue State NYSC Public Relations Officer, Victoria Ogwuche, said the Wannune camp could accommodate between 3,500 and 4,000 corps members.

She said it had three boreholes and several wells, while toilets were available in the hostels and outside the accommodation facilities.

Ogwuche added that the state government had continued to support the scheme, noting that the current administration introduced a stipend for corps members.

Rising number of graduates blamed

The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, had attributed overcrowding at some orientation camps across the country to the rising number of graduates mobilised annually for the mandatory national service programme.

He noted that the number of corps members mobilised annually had increased from about 400,000 in 2025 to approximately 450,000 in 2026, putting pressure on existing facilities.

He projected that the figure could rise to between 500,000 and 600,000 within the next three to five years.

In a statement issued on Friday by the scheme’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, Nafiu explained that expanding camp facilities would require substantial funding and time, given competing national priorities.

He noted that responsibility for maintaining and expanding orientation camps was shared between the federal and state governments, adding that the NYSC was engaging state authorities to address accommodation shortages.

The NYSC boss apologised to corps members over the overcrowding and discomfort experienced at the Sagamu orientation camp in Ogun State, assuring them that the scheme would improve its planning and make more extensive provisions to accommodate the growing number of participants in subsequent exercises.