Ogun State Government explains overcrowding at Sagamu NYSC camp

According to PUNCH, the Ogun State Government has attributed the overcrowding at the NYSC orientation camp in Sagamu to an increase in the number of prospective corps members posted to the state. The government made the clarification following the circulation of a viral video showing prospective corps members sleeping in a crowded multipurpose hall at the orientation camp, known as the Five-Star Camp.

It explained that the registration, screening, credential verification and hostel allocation of corps members were handled by NYSC officials and did not fall under the direct responsibility of the state government. The camp typically accommodates slightly over 2,000 corps members per batch, but the current batch has received more than 4,300 prospective corps members, placing pressure on available facilities.

The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, describing the scene in the viral video as a temporary arrangement during the registration exercise. Akinmade said that prospective corps members had to undergo credential verification and screening by NYSC officials before being allocated hostels. Those whose registration extended into the night were temporarily accommodated in the multipurpose hall, with mattresses provided for them to rest while the exercise continued.

Support and Reactions

Akinmade emphasized that although the NYSC was responsible for managing the registration process and camp accommodation, the state government supported the agency through interventions aimed at improving the welfare of corps members. The state government provided 500 mattresses during the current exercise, while the Akarigbo of Remo donated 100 mattresses, followed by an additional donation of 200. Governor Dapo Abiodun recently approved ₦50,000 each for the 3,050 corps members in the previous 2026 Batch C Stream I to assist with their transportation.

Akinmade said Ogun State had been adjudged the best in the country in NYSC administration, describing the recognition as evidence of the government's commitment to supporting the scheme. He urged members of the public to understand the distinction between the operational responsibilities of the NYSC and the supportive role of the state government, assuring them that the Abiodun administration would continue to provide assistance to make the state conducive for corps members to serve.

The controversy followed the emergence of a video showing overcrowding and poor sleeping conditions at the Sagamu orientation camp. The footage, which surfaced online on Monday, showed graduates packed into a room, with mattresses placed closely together on the floor, and some prospective corps members sharing mattresses. An X user, Ayohid01, expressed frustration over the situation, writing about the experience at the Ogun State camp. The NYSC Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Mrs Tejumade Awoleye, declined to comment on the incident, stating that only the state coordinator and the Director General of the NYSC could address the issue.