The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) administration has issued a stern caution to corps members serving across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, advising against unauthorized travel.
This advisory follows a tragic incident involving the demise of Ige Adedayo, a corps member serving in Delta State, who lost his life in a lone crash on Saturday at Ago Adura, Itori, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Eddy Megwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations for NYSC, confirmed Adedayo’s status as a serving corps member in Delta State. He revealed in a conversation with PUNCH Metro that Adedayo, assigned to Warri for his primary assignment, had ventured to Ogun State without prior authorization from NYSC authorities in Delta.
Megwa emphasized that the Director-General of NYSC has cautioned serving corps members against embarking on journeys outside their designated state of service without obtaining permission from NYSC.
“He was posted to Warri for his PPA, but instead of reporting to his place of primary assignment, he traveled to Ogun State where he had an auto crash which claimed his life,” Megwa stated. “NYSC is a one-year national service to give back to the country, and it’s just one year for you to stay in the state you are posted to and do your primary assignment. We always advise corps members not to embark on unnecessary journeys.”
Expressing condolences to Adedayo’s family, Megwa described his passing as deeply saddening and a loss to the nation.
“The death of this promising young boy is a loss to his family, a loss to NYSC, and a loss to the nation. It is a sad occurrence,” he remarked. “The NYSC family in Ogun State has reached out to his family, and we condole with them at this trying time. We pray that the Almighty God will console them as we all grieve about his loss.”
Adedayo, believed to have recently left the orientation camp and likely returned home for the Easter break, was an indigene of Ogun State and a graduate of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, located near the accident scene.
The crash, which transpired around 6:55 am on Saturday, involved a Mercedes-Benz with registration number JJJ168JF. According to Babatunde Akinbiyi, the spokesperson for the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, eyewitnesses recounted that “The car driver dozed off while driving, which led to loss of control, tumbling, and crashing from inward to outward lane.”
