The National Patriotic Front for Tinubu (NPFFT) has appealed to the leadership of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to reconsider plans to shut down its Permanent Orientation Camp in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State, urging the agency to rehabilitate the facility instead.

 

The appeal comes days after the NYSC Director-General reportedly ordered the suspension of further deployment of corps members to Cross River State over the deteriorating condition of the camp’s facilities.

Obubra, Obubra,

In a letter addressed to the NYSC Director-General at the organisation’s National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja, the group expressed concern over the proposed closure, citing the camp’s importance to national integration, youth development and the economic wellbeing of its host community.

 

The letter, signed by NPFFT Director-General Castro Ezama, was received on October 15, 2026.

 

According to the group, the presence of corps members in Obubra contributes significantly to local economic activities by creating business opportunities for traders, transport operators, artisans, service providers and other residents.

 

“The presence of Corps Members in Obubra contributes to economic activity and creates opportunities for local businesses, service providers, transport operators, artisans, and other members of the host community,” the letter stated.

 

NPFFT Calls for Rehabilitation Instead of Closure

While acknowledging concerns over the deteriorating condition of the camp’s infrastructure, the NPFFT urged the NYSC leadership to suspend any final decision on its closure pending a comprehensive assessment of the facility and its operational requirements.

 

The group also pledged to collaborate with government agencies, corporate organisations and other relevant stakeholders to mobilise resources for the rehabilitation of dilapidated structures and other facilities within the camp.

 

“Our organization will work with government and other relevant agencies, including corporate bodies, to rehabilitate all dilapidated infrastructure,” Ezama stated.

 

The group argued that shutting down an established national asset should be considered only as a last resort, maintaining that the challenges facing the camp could be addressed through targeted investment and cooperation among relevant authorities.

 

It called for collaboration between the NYSC, the Cross River State Government, Obubra Local Government authorities, traditional institutions and community leaders to find a lasting solution to the infrastructure problems.

 

Group Seeks Special Assessment Team

As part of its proposed intervention, the NPFFT called on the NYSC Director-General to constitute a special assessment team to examine the condition of the Obubra Orientation Camp before making a final administrative decision on its future.

 

The group maintained that a thorough assessment, followed by targeted rehabilitation, could help restore the facility to acceptable standards and prevent a shutdown.

 

It also stressed that dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders would provide a more sustainable solution than closing the camp, particularly given its contributions to youth orientation, national integration and economic activities in the host community.

 

NYSC Suspends Deployment to Cross River

The group’s intervention follows reports that the NYSC has suspended the deployment of corps members to Cross River State because of the deteriorating condition of its orientation camp in Obubra.

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The decision reportedly followed an inspection of the facility by the NYSC Director-General, who was said to have expressed concerns that the infrastructure no longer met the required standards for orientation exercises.

 

A source within the scheme disclosed that the Director-General directed that further deployment to the state be suspended until the necessary improvements were made.

 

“After going through the camp facilities, we discovered that the facilities are old, they are no longer meeting standards.

 

“So, as a result of that, the Director-General said no more posting of corps members to Cross River State until further notice. In fact, he is even saying they need a brand new camp,” the source said.

 

The source added that the suspension would take effect after the ongoing Batch C, Stream 1 orientation exercise, meaning corps members expected in Batch C, Stream 2 would no longer be deployed to the state pending intervention by the Cross River State Government.

 

The development has raised concerns about the future of the orientation camp and the potential impact on the number of corps members posted to the state.

 

Obubra Camp Faces Infrastructure Challenges

The orientation camp, formerly located at the site of the Government Science School in Obubra, is reportedly more than two decades old and has operated without any major renovation over the years.

 

Several structures are said to have deteriorated, raising concerns about the suitability of the facility for accommodating and training corps members.

 

The camp previously accommodated about 2,500 corps members per stream but now reportedly hosts slightly more than 1,000.

 

Cross River State is expected to receive approximately 6,000 corps members annually. However, the number deployed to the state has reportedly fallen to just over 1,000 in recent years.

 

More than 700 corps members have also reportedly been processing relocation to other states amid concerns about the situation.

 

The reported suspension has placed pressure on the Cross River State Government to address the infrastructure challenges or provide an alternative facility for future orientation exercises.

 

NYSC, Cross River Government Yet to Confirm Next Steps

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the NYSC State Secretariat and the scheme’s spokesperson in Cross River State, Mr Ogbang Ogbang, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report.

 

The state Commissioner for Youth Development, Ijom Ukam, had also yet to respond to the development.

 

The NYSC and the Cross River State Government are yet to publicly confirm the reported suspension or announce concrete measures to address the camp’s deteriorating condition.

 

Meanwhile, the NPFFT’s appeal seeks to keep the Obubra Orientation Camp operational through stakeholder collaboration and infrastructure rehabilitation, arguing that its continued existence would benefit corps members, the host community and Cross River State at large.