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The Ogun State Government has explained the overcrowding at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Sagamu after more than 4,300 prospective corps members arrived for the current orientation exercise.
The controversy followed the circulation of a video showing prospective corps members sleeping on mattresses arranged closely together on the floor of a multipurpose hall. The footage triggered public concern about the accommodation and welfare arrangements at the camp.
Reacting to the incident, Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, attributed the situation to the sharp increase in the number of corps members posted to Ogun State.
Akinmade said the camp received more than 4,300 prospective corps members, compared with slightly over 2,000 in previous batches. He explained that the unexpected increase placed pressure on the available accommodation facilities.
He described the sleeping arrangement shown in the viral video as temporary, adding that officials provided mattresses for prospective corps members while registration and screening continued.
The government also clarified that the NYSC handles registration, screening, credential verification and hostel allocation. These responsibilities fall under the scheme’s management rather than the direct control of the state government.
However, Akinmade said the Ogun State Government had provided additional support to ease the situation. He disclosed that Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration supplied 500 mattresses for the orientation exercise.
The Akarigbo of Remo also donated 100 mattresses and later provided another 200, bringing his total contribution to 300 mattresses.
Akinmade further recalled that the state government had approved a transport allowance of ₦50,000 each for 3,050 corps members deployed to Ogun State under the 2026 Batch C, Stream I exercise.
He maintained that Ogun State had received recognition for its administration of the NYSC programme, adding that the government remained committed to supporting corps members during their service year.
The explanation, however, has not ended public criticism of the accommodation arrangement. Nigerians have continued to question why the authorities did not prepare adequately for the large number of prospective corps members before their arrival.
Human rights advocate Solomon Bankole also criticised the conditions at the camp and called on affected prospective corps members to consider legal action against the NYSC and the Federal Government.
Bankole argued that the compulsory nature of national service makes it necessary for the authorities to provide decent accommodation and protect participants’ welfare. He raised concerns about overcrowding, sanitation, privacy and possible health risks.
Economist and former presidential candidate Pat Utomi also criticised the situation, questioning the continued exposure of young Nigerians to poor institutional conditions.
The NYSC’s Ogun State Public Relations Officer, Tejumade Awoleye, declined to comment on the controversy and referred enquiries to the state coordinator and the Director-General.
The incident has renewed concerns about the capacity of NYSC orientation camps to accommodate large numbers of prospective corps members. Although Ogun State says it has provided additional mattresses, the NYSC faces questions about how it plans to manage accommodation and welfare when the number of participants exceeds a camp’s normal capacity.
