A wave of outrage has followed the death of sixteen prospective corps members who lost their lives in a fatal accident while travelling to the NYSC orientation camp in Gombe State. The victims, all graduates of Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED), were packed into an 18-seater bus when the vehicle crashed, leaving only two survivors in critical condition.

Reacting to the heartbreaking incident, Nigerian rapper Odumodublvck issued a strong appeal to the NYSC, demanding an immediate overhaul of the deployment system that sends graduates across long, risky interstate routes. He said the tragedy was avoidable and blamed the mandatory posting structure for endangering young Nigerians.

In a passionate post on his social media platform, the rapper said the NYSC concept may have started as a unifying programme, but no longer aligns with Nigeria’s current realities of insecurity and poor road safety. He urged the scheme to post youths only within or near their home states.

“It started as a brilliant idea, but it’s not sustainable anymore,” he wrote. “Parents are losing their children. Pity them. Kids are dying.”

Eyewitnesses described the crash scene as “devastating,” with emergency responders battling to retrieve bodies and rush the injured to the nearest hospital. Images from the scene have sparked renewed debate over the relevance and safety of the NYSC in its current form.

The NYSC is yet to release an official statement, heightening frustration among citizens demanding accountability. Meanwhile, authorities, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), have opened an investigation into the cause of the accident.

As condolences pour in, public pressure is mounting for the government to review the NYSC posting policy,  a demand that Odumodublvck says is not just necessary but urgent to prevent more avoidable deaths.