Anxiety has gripped thousands of prospective corps members and their families as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) commenced its 2026 Batch A (Stream I) orientation exercise across the country amid worsening security challenges in several states.

The compulsory 21-days orientation programme, which began on Tuesday in all 37 NYSC orientation camps nationwide, is taking place against a backdrop of persistent banditry, kidnappings, insurgency and violent attacks, particularly in parts of the North-West, North-Central and North-East regions.

Fear-Filled Journeys

Findings by the sources indicate that corps members deployed to states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Kwara, Yobe and Borno undertook long and cautious journeys to their orientation camps, amid palpable fear of attacks along major highways.

Several corps members told sources that they avoided night travel, made multiple stopovers in perceived safer towns and relied heavily on security checkpoints for reassurance.

A corps member deployed to Zamfara State, who spoke anonymously, said the journey from Plateau State lasted nearly 28 hours due to security-related delays.

“Throughout the journey, the fear of bandit attacks and kidnappings was constant. We deliberately avoided travelling at night and passed through safer routes,” he said.

Another corps member posted to Kaduna State admitted initial shock after seeing his posting letter but said the presence of armed security personnel at the camp offered some reassurance.

Camp Relocations to Safer Locations

To reduce exposure to security threats, some state governments and NYSC authorities relocated orientation camps from volatile areas to relatively safer locations.
In Zamfara, the camp was moved from Tsafe Local Government Area to Gusau, the state capital.

Similarly, Kaduna State’s camp was relocated from Sabon Gaya to Government College, Kurmi Marshi, Kaduna South, following earlier security concerns.

In Kwara State, the orientation camp was moved from Yikpata in Edu Local Government Area to Ilorin, the state capital, where it has remained since September 2025 due to persistent bandit attacks in Kwara North.

NYSC officials in the affected states confirmed that soldiers, police officers, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and other security operatives had been deployed to secure the camps and surrounding areas.

Stakeholders Express Concern
Parents and education stakeholders have expressed concern over the safety of corps members serving in high-risk states.

The National President of the Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (PTA), Mr Haruna Danjuma, urged the Federal Government to prioritise the protection of corps members.

“Deploying young graduates to insecure areas must come with maximum security. The government must work closely with security agencies, traditional rulers and host communities to ensure their safety,” he said.

Participation Figures

Although about 650,000 graduates are reportedly slated for mobilisation across the 2026 NYSC streams nationwide, Sources gathered that participation in the current stream is significantly lower, with estimates suggesting that less than half of registered prospective corps members reported to orientation camps.

In the identified high-risk states, approximately 8,000 corps members are expected to participate in the orientation exercise.

Ongoing Assurance

Despite prevailing fears, NYSC authorities have repeatedly assured corps members and parents that adequate security arrangements are in place and that safety remains a top priority throughout the orientation and service year.

As the orientation exercise continues, concerns remain over the broader impact of Nigeria’s security challenges on national youth service participation and confidence in the programme.