Sixteen prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED), Ondo State, have died in a road accident while en route to the NYSC orientation camp in Gombe State. Two others from the same trip remain in critical condition.
The victims were traveling in an 18-seater bus when the vehicle reportedly veered off a northern highway. Eyewitnesses say the crash was severe, and first responders recovered bodies from the scene.
The NYSC and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have not issued formal statements yet, but the FRSC is leading an investigation into the cause of the crash.
The tragedy has reignited public concern about road safety, especially for young graduates traveling long distances for national service. Many are calling for improved safety protocols and stricter regulation of the vehicles used to transport prospective corps members.
AFUED’s staff, students, and the families of the victims are in mourning. The incident underscores the risks associated with mobilizing large numbers of graduates for NYSC — often involving lengthy, hazardous journeys.
