Cross River’s NYSC Camp: From National Pride to National Embarrassment?

It was supposed to be a rite of passage: a three-week journey in which Nigerian graduates from all tribes, dressed in white shorts and crested vests, sing the anthem under the Obubra sun and parade for their fatherland. Today, that dream has become a nightmare.

On October 10, 2026, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General O. O. Nafiu, walked into the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Obubra, Cross River State, for a routine inspection ahead of the 2026 Batch C Stream II Orientation Course, slated for November 4, 2026. What he saw forced him to do the unthinkable: he ordered the suspension of the deployment of corps members to Cross River State.

For the first time in decades, Cross River—The People’s Paradise—has been blacklisted by the NYSC, and for good reason.

The camp is in ruins. Exclusive details of the rot that forced the DG’s decision are shocking. Obubra, located in central Cross River, about 150 km from Calabar, is one of the oldest orientation camps in Nigeria. Established in the 1970s, it has not seen any comprehensive rehabilitation in nearly 20 years.

The hostels are sorry sights. The male and female hostels are in bad shape and are often referred to as death traps. Roofs leak heavily during the rains. Over 70 percent of the iron bunks are in poor condition, with rusted springs. Mattresses are soaked, torn, and infested with bedbugs. Corps members reportedly resort to sleeping on the floors. The windows have no louvres. The toilets do not flush. The soakaways are full and overflowing.

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There are complaints about poor water supply and a lack of electricity. The camp’s only borehole reportedly broke down some time ago. As a result, corps members resort to buying water or fetching it from outside the camp. The generator that powers the camp has also reportedly been out of service for months. At night, the camp is plunged into darkness, except when there is a public power supply, exposing corps members to security risks.

The parade ground resembles a farm. Ordinarily, the parade ground—the heart of orientation—should be fit for drills; unfortunately, it is often waterlogged when it rains. Sometimes, it is overgrown with weeds, which affects the drills.

The kitchen where food for corps members is prepared uses firewood beneath a leaking roof. Food is cooked in exposed, smoky, and unhygienic conditions.

The camp clinic also raises concerns. It lacks the drugs and personnel needed to sufficiently attend to sick corps members.

In a situation like this, who has failed to ensure that the camp is up to date?

The NYSC Act is clear. While the NYSC provides staff and kits, state governments must provide, maintain, and upgrade camp facilities.

The Cross River State Government has neglected the Obubra NYSC Camp. As is obvious, successive administrations have paid lip service to its upkeep. Dependable sources said the last major intervention was during Senator Liyel Imoke’s administration, over a decade ago.

It is not only the Cross River State Government. The Federal Ministry of Education, which supervises the NYSC, has also looked away while the camp decayed.

Brig. Gen. Nafiu’s action is commendable. He refused to endanger the lives of young Nigerians whose parents entrusted them to the scheme.

But suspending deployment to Cross River is not a solution. It is an alarm bell. If the Obubra NYSC camp can ‘collapse’, so can camps in other states.

As November 4, 2026 approaches, all eyes are on Governor Bassey Otu. Will he mobilise emergency contractors to save the camp and restore the dignity of Cross River State? Or will Cross River become the first state in Nigeria’s history to lose an entire orientation stream?

As corps members prepare to serve Nigeria, is Nigeria ready to host them?

This is not a good development.

(C) Crystal Express