Insecurity: Anxiety Mounts as NYSC Camps Open in High-Risk States
Widespread apprehension has gripped prospective corps members and their families as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) 2026 Batch A (Stream 1) orientation exercise commences across the country, with thousands deployed to states currently plagued by banditry and insurgency.
The 21-day orientation exercise, which officially kicked off on Wednesday, January 21, has seen corps members embarking on perilous journeys to high-risk states including Zamfara, Kaduna, Borno, Yobe, Plateau, and Katsina.
The deployment comes amidst a renewed surge in terrorist attacks, mass abductions, and bomb scares that have unsettled communities in the northern region in recent weeks.
Reports indicate that while the NYSC management maintains that adequate security measures are in place, the mood among the fresh graduates is one of palpable fear.
A corps member posted to Zamfara State, speaking on condition of anonymity, described a harrowing journey to the orientation camp.
The source recounted arriving very late and having to sleep over in a nearby village in Funtua before proceeding to the camp the next day, noting that despite the presence of security personnel, the fear of unpredictable attacks from non-state actors remained constant.
Despite the initial fear, the corps member acknowledged a heavy military presence at the camp entrance and checkpoints leading to the facility.
While the NYSC has not released official total deployment figures for this stream, investigations reveal that approximately 8,000 corps members are participating in the orientation exercise across identified high-risk states.
Yobe State has already sworn in 1,200 corps members, while Kaduna State is expecting about 2,000 participants.
Furthermore, Katsina State is projected to receive 2,050 graduates, with Sokoto and Kebbi hosting roughly 1,900 and 1,700 respectively.
The Zamfara State Coordinator, Muhammad Ahmed, also confirmed that about 600 corps members are expected in the state.
The anxiety over camp locations has already led to disruptions in Kwara State. The state government was forced to order the immediate closure of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, on Tuesday following student protests.
The students had demonstrated against the use of their institution as a temporary NYSC orientation camp, a move they argued disrupted academic activities and compromised campus security.
The protests turned chaotic, leading to injuries and a security breach that necessitated the shutdown to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Public affairs analysts and parents are calling on the Federal Government to review the policy of posting graduates to volatile regions.
Waheed Bello, an analyst based in Ilorin, urged the government to consider relocating orientation camps from crisis-prone areas, stating that there is nothing stopping the government from providing temporary camps rather than using one activity to disrupt the lives of others or endanger the youth.
In September 2025, the NYSC announced plans to mobilise about 650,000 graduates in 2026, a significant increase from previous years, though only about 40 per cent of registered prospective corps members are participating in the current stream.
