A video showing corps members sleeping in overcrowded conditions at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun State, has sparked outrage on social media, with Nigerians questioning the welfare arrangements for participants.
The footage, shared online by corps members, shows graduates packed into a room, with mattresses placed closely together on the floor.
The camp’s multipurpose hall, ordinarily used for events, was reportedly converted into a sleeping area to accommodate the increasing number of corps members.
Nigerians React to Living Conditions
Several social media users condemned the reported conditions, describing them as unacceptable and calling for urgent intervention.
An X user, Ayohid01 (@ayohid01), who appeared to be at the camp, expressed frustration over the situation.
“Bro, I can’t believe I am experiencing this right now at Ogun State camp Unna no try at all,” the user wrote.
Another user, Chude (@Chude_ND1), compared the conditions to those in displacement camps, while CandyLove (@DazylingQueen) described the situation as heartbreaking and called on those responsible to improve the facilities.
Civic technology and accountability organisation MonITNG also condemned the situation, describing it as “a national disgrace that demands immediate intervention”.
The organisation alleged that some prospective corps members had been asked to return home because of inadequate accommodation, while others struggled to find sleeping spaces.
It questioned the preparedness of the NYSC authorities and called on the Director-General, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and other relevant agencies to investigate the situation.
MonITNG also demanded improvements in accommodation, healthcare, sanitation, feeding and security at orientation camps nationwide.
Blame Game Over Overcrowding
However, some social media users argued that the Ogun State Government should not be held responsible for the overcrowding, noting that the NYSC is a Federal Government scheme.
An X user identified as nba (@nba101i) alleged that some male corps members had been moved out of their hostel to accommodate female participants.
The user described the development as unfair and called for better arrangements.
Another user, Millenium.py (@the_millenium1), argued that the situation resulted from the high number of prospective corps members posted to Ogun State.
Similarly, Man of Letters (@Letter_to_Jack) said the responsibility for deploying corps members rested with the NYSC.
The user claimed that the number of corps members deployed to Ogun increased from 2,578 during the 2025 Batch A Stream II exercise to 4,152 in the 2026 Batch C Stream II exercise.
The user also claimed that Governor Dapo Abiodun had ordered the provision of additional beds for the camp, suggesting that those seen on the floor in the circulating video were part of the supplied beds.
4,152 Corps Members Register for Ogun Camp
Figures released during the opening and swearing-in ceremony for the 2026 Batch C Stream II orientation course showed that 4,152 prospective corps members registered for the exercise.
The Ogun State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Frances Omolabake Adewuyi, said 3,698 were deployed directly to Ogun, while 454 were transferred from Lagos State.
Of those transferred from Lagos, 171 were males and 283 were females. The group deployed directly to Ogun comprised 1,460 males and 2,238 females.
The Ogun State Government had earlier approved the donation of 500 mattresses to the Sagamu camp amid the increase in corps members deployed to the state.
Located along Ikenne Road in Sagamu, the camp has often been described by corps members and officials as one of the best-equipped NYSC orientation camps in the country.
