By our Reporter
The Ogun State Government has explained the viral video showing prospective corps members sleeping in a hall at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Sagamu, attributing the situation to late-night registration and an unexpected increase in the number of participants.
The government maintained that registration, screening, credential verification and hostel allocation are exclusively the responsibilities of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), not the state government.
The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the video captured a temporary arrangement for prospective corps members whose registration extended into the night.
Akinmade explained that all prospective corps members were required to undergo credential verification and screening by NYSC officials before being allocated accommodation.
He said those who completed their registration late were temporarily accommodated in the multipurpose hall, where mattresses were provided for them to rest while the exercise continued.
According to him, Ogun State received more than 4,300 prospective corps members for the current batch, compared with slightly over 2,000 in previous batches, putting additional pressure on available facilities.
He stressed that although the NYSC was responsible for managing the registration process and accommodation arrangements, the state government had consistently supported the scheme through interventions aimed at improving corps members’ welfare.
Akinmade disclosed that the state government provided 500 mattresses for the current exercise, while the Akarigbo of Remo donated 100, followed by an additional 200 mattresses.
He also recalled that Governor Abiodun recently approved a ₦50,000 welfare grant each for 3,050 corps members in the 2026 Batch C, Stream I, to assist with their transportation expenses.
The media aide further noted that Ogun State had been adjudged the best in the country in NYSC administration, describing the recognition as evidence of the government’s sustained commitment to the welfare of corps members.
He urged the public to distinguish between the operational responsibilities of the NYSC and the supportive role of the state government.
Akinmade assured that the Abiodun administration would continue to provide necessary assistance to make Ogun State a conducive environment for corps members to undertake their national service.
