The commencement of the 2026 Batch A Stream I National Youth Service Corps orientation exercise has triggered widespread concern across Nigeria, as thousands of newly mobilised graduates report for camp in states grappling with persistent security challenges. What is traditionally celebrated as a unifying national rite has, this year, been overshadowed by fear, tension, and difficult questions about safety, responsibility, and the future of compulsory national service.
The orientation exercise officially began on January 21, with NYSC camps opening simultaneously across the federation. While the scheme’s leadership has maintained its commitment to nationwide mobilisation, the inclusion of states affected by banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and communal violence has unsettled many prospective corps members and their families. For a generation already navigating economic hardship and uncertainty, the journey to camp has become as daunting as the service year itself.
In several northern and north-central states, insecurity remains a daily reality. Incidents of armed attacks on highways, mass abductions, and sporadic violence have been reported in recent months, raising alarms about the safety of young graduates travelling long distances to unfamiliar locations. As corps members set out from different parts of the country, anxiety has been particularly intense over road travel, overnight journeys, and passage through known flashpoints.
Participation figures from the ongoing orientation reflect this unease. Only a fraction of registered prospective corps members reported for Stream I, with many opting to defer their participation to later streams. Those who did report described mixed emotions: pride in fulfilling a national obligation, coupled with palpable fear of what might happen along the way. In states considered high-risk, thousands of corps members have already been sworn in, even as families follow events from afar with apprehension.
Several corps members recounted exhausting journeys that stretched far beyond normal travel times due to security checkpoints, detours, and delays caused by fear of night movement. Some said they avoided travelling after dusk, while others admitted they had no choice but to sleep in transit towns before completing their journey to camp. For many parents, the days leading up to the swearing-in ceremony were filled with constant phone calls and anxious prayers.
Within the camps themselves, authorities have taken visible steps to reassure participants. Security presence has been significantly reinforced, with personnel from various agencies deployed around camp premises. In some states, orientation camps have been relocated from isolated or rural areas to more secure urban centres, following earlier assessments that deemed the original locations unsafe under current conditions. Officials insist these measures are sufficient and stress that the safety of corps members remains a top priority.
Despite these assurances, concern persists about what lies beyond the camp gates. While orientation camps may be secured, corps members are acutely aware that their service year will involve movement to places of primary assignment, some of which may be located in communities affected by the same security challenges. This reality has renewed debate over whether the NYSC programme, in its current form, adequately reflects the country’s evolving security landscape.
Stakeholders have begun to speak more openly about the need for reforms. Parents’ groups, civil society voices, and education advocates have called for more flexible deployment policies, improved risk assessments, and stronger collaboration between security agencies and NYSC officials. Some argue that national service should not place young graduates in harm’s way, while others maintain that the scheme remains a vital symbol of unity that must be preserved, albeit with necessary adjustments.
Within government circles, the emphasis has been on continuity and reassurance. Officials maintain that suspending or limiting mobilization could undermine the objectives of the scheme, which was designed to foster national integration and mutual understanding among young Nigerians. However, they also acknowledge that the security situation demands constant review and adaptive strategies to prevent avoidable tragedies.
