NYSC Camps Insecurity: Anxiety Rises as Orientation Begins in High-Risk States

By: Abudu Olalekan

Corps members and parents express fear as NYSC orientation camps open in states battling bandit attacks and kidnappings across northern Nigeria.

It starts with a prayer. For thousands of Nigerian families this week, it ended with a held breath.

The excitement of graduation has quickly turned into a cold sweat for many. As the 2026 Batch A (Stream 1) orientation exercise kicks off, the mood isn’t just festive; it is tense. Specifically, for those posted to states like Zamfara, Kaduna, Borno, and Katsina, the reality is stark. The roads are long. The forests are thick. And the stories of bandits are terrifying.

It is no secret that insecurity has gripped the northern parts of the country lately. Bomb scares. Kidnappings. It’s all over the news. Yet, on Wednesday, January 21, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) threw open the gates to 37 camps nationwide.

According to the plan released earlier this month, the scheme intends to mobilise a massive 650,000 graduates in 2026. That is a huge jump from the previous year. However, right now, about 40 percent of the current batch have hit the road.

Reportersroom gathered that roughly 8,000 of these young graduates are currently settled in camps within high-risk states. The numbers are specific. Yobe has sworn in 1,200. Kaduna is hosting about 2,000. Katsina has welcomed 2,050.

But numbers don’t tell the full story. People do.

One corps member, a Microbiology graduate, shared his ordeal with Reportersroom. He asked not to be named. The rules in camp are strict, you see. He travelled from Plateau to Zamfara. The trip took 28 hours.

“My main fear is the bandits,” he admitted, his voice low. “My parents were so anxious. They eventually agreed, but they prayed a lot.”

He described a journey that felt like a movie script. They arrived in Zamfara very late. Too dangerous to move. So, they slept in a village near Funtua.

“We were scared. Even with security around, you just never know with these gunmen,” he added.

Another graduate had a similar tale. He lives in Jos. When he saw ‘Zamfara’ on his call-up letter, his heart sank.

“I was like, Zamfara again? The place we hear about attacks every day?” he said. He split his journey, sleeping in Zaria to avoid night travel. “I kept thinking our bus might be attacked. But God took the lead.”

He is safe now. He says the military presence at the camp is heavy. Checkpoints are everywhere. It brings some relief, but the trauma of the journey lingers.

In Kaduna, a corps member named Esther said she almost didn’t come. The stories of kidnapping on the Kaduna highway were too much.

“Seeing soldiers and police around the camp has calmed my nerves,” she confessed.

Safety is the priority. Or at least, that is what the officials are saying.

The Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria isn’t taking chances. Haruna Danjuma, the National President, demanded that the government shouldn’t just talk. They must act.

“Protect them with the highest form of security,” he urged.

Meanwhile, getting a word from the NYSC Director of Information, Caroline Embu, proved difficult. Calls went unanswered. Messages were left on read.

However, on the ground, changes are happening. To keep corps members safe, some states have moved their camps entirely. In Zamfara, the camp was relocated from Tsafe to Gusau, the capital. Tsafe was just too risky.

In Kwara State, the story is the same. The camp was moved from Yikpata to Ilorin. The State Coordinator, Onifade Joshua, told Reportersroom that the decision was non-negotiable.

“We moved it for safety. We are prepared,” he said.

In Kaduna, the permanent camp is a no-go area due to bandits. So, they are using a temporary site at a Government College in the city. The military has taken over the old camp to use as a base to fight crime on the highway.

It’s a strange reality. Young people are trying to serve their country while looking over their shoulders. But for now, they are in camp. The gates are shut. The soldiers are watching. And their parents are back home, still praying.