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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has made a passionate appeal to some state governors across the country to expand the size of the various Orientation Camps in their states.
He, however, commended some state governments for their efforts towards addressing accommodation deficits in the scheme’s Orientation Camps across the country.
The statement by Caroline Embu, Director of Information and Public Relations, explained that he made the commendation while addressing corps members deployed to Lagos State for the 2026 Batch ‘C’ Stream II service year at the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.
General Nafiu, according to the statement, disclosed that the Lagos State government was currently constructing a new 10,000-capacity NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp which, upon completion, would address the accommodation challenges experienced at the temporary camp in Iyana Ipaja.
He also revealed that the governments of Adamawa, Gombe and Borno states were at advanced stages of delivering brand-new Orientation Camps to the scheme, while existing camps in Sokoto, Kwara, Enugu, Osun and some other states were undergoing extensive renovations to provide more conducive training environments for corps members.
The NYSC helmsman attributed the accommodation shortfall in Orientation Camps nationwide to the significant increase in the number of tertiary institutions and graduates in recent years, including Nigerians who obtained their qualifications from foreign institutions.
His words: “Before now, we used to mobilise about 100,000 graduates annually, and that was when most of the Orientation Camps in the country were built. Currently, however, we mobilise up to 450,000 graduates. This means that the population we have to cater for is far beyond the carrying capacities of the existing structures.”
General Nafiu therefore appealed to state governments to expand the capacity of NYSC Orientation Camps in their respective states to accommodate at least 5,000 corps members each, describing this as a sustainable way of addressing the ever-increasing population of prospective corps members.
Speaking further, he advised the corps members to embrace the spirit of national unity and integration from the Orientation Camp, explaining that they were among the fundamental ideals upon which the NYSC was established in 1973.
The DG also encouraged them to exchange telephone contacts freely and build lasting relationships across ethnic, religious and cultural divides as a means of strengthening national cohesion, advising the young graduates to take advantage of the scheme’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to acquire vocational and entrepreneurial skills that would make them self-reliant.
He stressed the importance of having multiple sources of income to remain financially stable in the prevailing economic climate.
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On the security of corps members, General Nafiu charged them to remain vigilant at all times and exercise caution in their movements, stressing: “Never move in isolation from your colleagues. If you have any reason to go somewhere alone, ensure that you inform the colleagues with whom you share accommodation.
“Most importantly, notify your Corps Liaison Officer (CLO) and share your location with your colleagues as soon as you arrive at your destination,” he advised.
In her report on the camp situation, the Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Christiana Salmwang, disclosed that the corps members have demonstrated enthusiasm and readiness to be mentored in line with the scheme’s core values.
The Coordinator further disclosed that a total of 11,155 corps members had been deployed to Lagos State for the 2026 Batch ‘C’ service year. However, only 4,380 were accommodated at the Iyana Ipaja Orientation Camp, while the remaining corps members were dislodged to neighbouring states, including Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Kwara and Delta, to undergo their Orientation Course due to the limited capacity of the Lagos camp.
She clarified that all the dislodged corps members would be posted to various locations in Lagos State for their Primary Assignments at the end of the Orientation Course, commending the Lagos State government for its continued support to the NYSC and its commitment to the welfare of corps members.
Meanwhile, General Nafiu also commended the officers and men of the 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, for their tremendous support to the scheme in Lagos State.
He gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Ayokunle Owolabi.
While expressing appreciation to the Commander for the Brigade’s sustained support, particularly in providing security and deploying personnel to assist the NYSC, he noted that the support had helped create a safe and conducive environment for the scheme’s operations in the state.
In his response, General Owolabi lauded the cordial relationship and synergy between the Brigade and the NYSC.
He assured the Director-General of the Brigade’s continued support, pledging to provide all necessary assistance, particularly in ensuring adequate security for corps members and NYSC officials.
