Coronavirus: NYSC shuts down orientation camps nationwide

The management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has shut down all its orientation camps nationwide due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

The directive from NYSC headquarters in Abuja was issued in the early hours of Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

The Guardian reports that the directive has disrupted the orientation camp of the 2020 Batch A Stream 1, across the 37 centres in the country.

Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Eddy Megwa, told corps members during morning meditation on the parade ground to vacate the orientation camp as soon as possible.

“We have been asked to close down all orientation camps and discharge the corps members to their various places of primary assignment,” Megwa said.

He added that the abrupt closure of the camps was part of preventive measures taken by NYSC management following the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

All state coordinators have received the directive to indefinitely shut down all orientation camps across the country.

NYSC members at an orientation ground (Punch) Pulse Nigeria

“All corps members should avoid travelling, getting free rides from strangers, which could be detrimental to your lives,” Megwa told the corps members.

“You are expected to go back to your different residential addresses pending the time when all dust will settle over this coronavirus.

“I want to believe it is to avert anything that could endanger the lives of the corps members and the staff of NYSC.”

The swearing-in

On Thursday, March 12, NYSC headquarters performed the swearing-in ceremony for the 2020 Batch A, Stream 1 corps members, who arrived the orientation camps on March 10 and were expected to leave on March 30.

The Stream 2 corps members were expected to resume camp on April 2.

All corps members will receive their transport allowance and letters for their places of primary assignment, as well as their identity cards before leaving the orientation camps.

They have also been told to report to their local governments today.

The latest COVID-19 figures

Nigeria confirmed a new case of the coronavirus on its shores on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. There are now 183, 809 cases of the deadly coronavirus globally, at the time of filing this.

Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a visit to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba where the Coronavirus index patient is being managed. [Twitter/@jidesanwoolu] Pulse Nigeria

7,178 people have died from the infection, while 79, 911 have recovered from the disease.

Every continent in the world has now recorded a coronavirus case, asides Antarctica.

27 African nations are now treating patients with coronavirus.