Parents, Obi, CSOs Slam NYSC Over Dehumanising Conditions At Ogun Camp

Parents, politicians and civil society organisations have condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over the overcrowded and unhygienic accommodation provided for prospective corps members at its Sagamu Orientation Camp in Ogun State.

They called on the NYSC authorities to urgently address the deplorable living conditions of corps members deployed to the state for the 2026 Batch C Stream II orientation exercise, describing the situation as dehumanising and a violation of their dignity and fundamental human rights.

Those who condemned the conditions include the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Peter Obi; Ogun State Chairman of the Civil Society Organisation and founder of People Against Corruption and Injustice (PACI), Barrister Bankole Solomon; and Abeokuta community leader, Engr. Ogunbusiyi Amos.

Their reactions followed a viral video showing prospective corps members sleeping on mattresses spread across the floor of an overcrowded hall at the Sagamu Orientation Camp in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.

The fresh graduates, who reported at the camp on November 4, 2026, were seen sleeping closely together in an uncoordinated arrangement in a multipurpose hall reportedly converted into a temporary hostel to accommodate the increasing number of prospective corps members.

The footage, shared online by corps members, showed the extent of overcrowding and raised concerns about sanitation, safety and the general welfare of the graduates.

LEADERSHIP also gathered that before the video went viral, some prospective corps members had reportedly been asked by camp officials to return to their parents’ homes because of inadequate accommodation.

Reacting to the development on Monday, Obi, in a post shared through his verified X handle, Peter Obi Grassroot Movement (@PO_Grassroot), described the conditions as disturbing and unacceptable.

He said, “This is the NYSC Orientation Camp in Shagamu, Ogun State, in 2026. Look at the conditions Nigerians are being subjected to. Is this how a country treats its own young people who have answered the call to national service?

“Even people in war-affected areas deserve better than to be subjected to such inhumane conditions. These are Nigerian youths, not animals. They deserve dignity, decent accommodation, proper sanitation and a safe environment. National service should never become an experience of suffering and humiliation.

“Nigeria must stop treating its young people as though their lives do not matter. This is shameful and unacceptable!”

Similarly, Solomon urged the affected corps members to approach the courts over what he described as a violation of their fundamental human rights, insisting that the compulsory nature of the NYSC scheme places a responsibility on the authorities to guarantee their welfare.

He argued that graduates should not be compelled to endure conditions that undermine their dignity in a programme they must complete to obtain their NYSC discharge certificates, which are required for certain employment and public office opportunities.

Solomon said, “They can approach any of the federal high courts and claim that their rights have been trampled upon. NYSC is not an option to these children; it is a mandatory service they must undergo upon completion of their tertiary education.

“What is currently happening to corps members in the Sagamu Orientation Camp is more than injustice. That is a manifestation of the dehumanisation of fellow human beings, and their fundamental human rights are being trampled upon.”

Describing the accommodation arrangement as unacceptable even for animals, the human rights advocate called for sanctions against officials found culpable.

He said the overcrowding also exposed corps members to potential health and safety risks, particularly the possible spread of communicable diseases.

Solomon added, “These are human beings, Nigerian graduates, that are being kept in a condition where you cannot even keep animals. It is pathetic and a cruelty to those children.”

He blamed the development on what he described as a wider breakdown of accountability in public institutions, arguing that the NYSC, as a federal scheme, should have adequate budgetary provisions to cater for corps members’ welfare.

He further called for an investigation into the circumstances that led to the overcrowding and disciplinary action against any official found responsible.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has distanced itself from the accommodation arrangement, saying the registration, screening, credential verification and hostel allocation of corps members are exclusively handled by NYSC officials.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the government described the footage as showing a temporary arrangement during a registration exercise that extended into the night.

Akinmade said Ogun State received more than 4,300 prospective corps members for the current batch, compared with slightly over 2,000 in previous batches, putting additional pressure on available camp facilities.

He maintained that although the NYSC was responsible for managing registration and camp accommodation, the state government had consistently supported the agency through interventions aimed at improving corps members’ welfare.

He urged the public to distinguish between the operational responsibilities of the NYSC and the supportive role of the state government.

The government, however, assured that the Abiodun administration would continue to provide assistance towards ensuring a conducive environment for corps members serving in the state.

But an NYSC official, who identified herself simply as Mrs Awoleye, dismissed the viral video when contacted by LEADERSHIP, describing the reports as a rumour.

“Thank God, it is a rumour and it cannot be true. Our camp is open and we are doing fine,” she said.