Why Did Prospective NYSC Members in Ogun State Sleep Outside?

The Ogun State Government has addressed a viral video showing prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members sleeping in a multi-purpose hall at the Sagamu Orientation Camp, attributing the situation to an unprecedented surge in corps deployments.

In a statement issued Monday, Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, clarified that the temporary hall setup was used to accommodate candidates whose registration and credential verification dragged late into the night.

Akinmade stated that over 4,300 prospective corps members reported to the camp for the current orientation exercise, more than double the usual intake of slightly over 2,000 candidates in previous batches.

"The use of the hall was a temporary measure," Akinmade said, noting that mattresses were provided so candidates could rest while awaiting final hostel allocations.

The government underscored that the administration and hostel allocation inside the camp remain the operational responsibility of the NYSC.

However, Akinmade highlighted ongoing state interventions to cushion the administrative load, including the provision of 500 mattresses by the state government and 300 mattresses by the Akarigbo of Remo.

He added that Governor Abiodun approved a N50,000 transport grant for each corps member deployed under the 2026 Batch C, Stream I exercise to ease logistics costs.