NYSC raises alarm about security at Katsina orientation camp

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has urged the Katsina State Government to create a separate entrance and clearly mark the facilities around its permanent orientation camp. This call comes due to security worries as insecurity rises in parts of northern Nigeria.

The Katsina State NYSC Coordinator, Evans Okwor, made this request on Monday during the swearing-in ceremony for the 2026 Batch “B” Stream I corps members in the state.

Mr Okwor pointed out that the current setup allows the NYSC camp to share access with the state-owned Youth Craft Village and other government facilities. This arrangement brings security issues and does not follow the operational guidelines from the NYSC national headquarters.

“With the growing fear of insecurity in the country, we ask for a restructuring of the orientation camp to create a separate entrance gate for the NYSC to use,” he said.

“This will give us control over who enters the orientation camp. The current situation where we share an entrance with state agencies violates security protocols set by the NYSC Directorate Headquarters.”

The Katsina orientation camp is situated along the Katsina, Daura Road. It serves thousands of corps members who are posted to the state every year.

Besides security issues, Mr Okwor also pointed out problems with the camp's infrastructure, especially the male hostels. He said that while some renovations have happened in the female hostels, the male hostels are still in bad shape. This makes it hard to accommodate the growing number of corps members.

He called on the state government to keep investing in the camp's infrastructure to enhance the welfare and safety of participants during their orientation.

Despite these challenges, the coordinator praised the state government, security agencies, and other stakeholders for their ongoing support of the NYSC scheme. He confirmed the agency's dedication to its main goal of promoting national unity and community development through programs in education, healthcare, rural development, and social mobilization.

This request comes at a time when Katsina is facing security challenges, especially with banditry and kidnapping. While security has improved in some areas due to military operations and local security efforts like the Community Watch Corps set up by Governor Dikko Radda, there are still reports of armed attacks and abductions in rural areas.

Recently, security fears grew after the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his wife in Matazu Local Government Area. The retired military officer sadly died while in captivity, leading to renewed military actions against the bandits in the area.

At the ceremony, Governor Dikko Radda urged the 1,130 corps members deployed to the state to behave responsibly and avoid actions that could harm national unity and public order.

Represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Surajo Yazid Abubakar, the governor warned against joining cults, drug abuse, cybercrime, religious extremism, and ethnic intolerance.

He encouraged the corps members to connect with their host communities, respect local customs, and serve diligently during their one-year national service.

Mr Radda also challenged them to start projects that would benefit their host communities and aid in national development.

“You are expected to be ambassadors of unity, discipline, and good character wherever you are posted,” the governor said.

The 2026 Batch “B” Stream I orientation exercise started nationwide this month, with corps members going through a three-week mandatory orientation program before heading to their primary assignment locations.