KEY POINTS
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Ogun received over 4,300 prospective corps members.
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Government blamed overcrowding on registration delays and limited facilities.
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State and traditional ruler provided 800 mattresses.
The Ogun State Government has defended conditions at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Sagamu following the circulation of a viral video showing prospective corps members sleeping in a crowded multipurpose hall.
The footage sparked public concern over accommodation arrangements and the welfare of graduates undergoing the orientation exercise, with some appearing to share mattresses placed closely together on the floor.
In its response on Monday, November 9, 2026, the state government attributed the situation to an unexpected increase in the number of prospective corps members deployed to Ogun State and delays in the registration and screening process.
The government described the use of the hall as a temporary arrangement, insisting that mattresses had been provided for those awaiting hostel allocation.
Over 4,300 Corps Members Arrive in Ogun
The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade, said the state received more than 4,300 prospective corps members for the current batch, compared with slightly above 2,000 in previous batches.
He explained that the sharp increase placed additional pressure on the available facilities at the Sagamu orientation camp, making it necessary to temporarily accommodate some participants in the multipurpose hall.
According to Akinmade, prospective corps members must first complete screening and credential verification conducted by NYSC officials before they can be assigned hostel accommodation.
Those whose registration continued late into the night were therefore accommodated in the hall, where mattresses were provided to enable them to rest while the process continued.
The government maintained that the arrangement was not intended to serve as permanent accommodation for the affected participants.
Government Says NYSC Handles Registration and Accommodation
Akinmade stressed that registration, screening, verification of credentials and allocation of hostel accommodation were the exclusive responsibilities of NYSC officials.
He said the state government was not directly responsible for these operational activities but continued to support the scheme through interventions aimed at improving the welfare of corps members.
The clarification appeared intended to distinguish the responsibilities of the NYSC from the support provided by the Ogun State Government in managing the orientation exercise.
However, the explanation has not removed questions about whether the camp had adequate facilities to accommodate the unexpectedly large number of prospective corps members.
The NYSC Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Tejumade Awoleye, declined to comment on the incident when contacted. She said the state coordinator and the Director-General of the scheme were in a better position to address the matter.
Government, Traditional Ruler Provide 800 Mattresses
The Ogun State Government said it provided 500 mattresses for the current orientation exercise to improve sleeping arrangements at the camp.
Akinmade also disclosed that the Akarigbo of Remo donated 100 mattresses and subsequently provided another 200, bringing the total number of mattresses reportedly supplied through the interventions to 800.
The government said the support was part of its broader efforts to improve conditions for prospective corps members deployed to the state.
Akinmade also recalled that Governor Abiodun had approved a N50,000 transportation grant for each of the 3,050 corps members deployed to Ogun State under the 2026 Batch C, Stream I.
The payment was intended to assist the corps members with transportation expenses.
He further claimed that Ogun State had been recognised as the best in the country in NYSC administration, describing the recognition as evidence of the administration’s commitment to supporting the national service programme.
The controversy has renewed attention on the capacity of orientation camps to accommodate large numbers of prospective corps members and the need to ensure that basic welfare arrangements remain adequate during registration and orientation exercises.
