Coronavirus: Ban international flights before shutting NYSC camps-Ondo residents tell govt

The closure of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, camps across the country over coronavirus threat has started to generate reactions among Nigerians.


Ondo residents who vent their anger on the federal government’s decision said the first move should have been a ban on flights from countries with the high prevalence of the virus.

Recall that after spending nine days on camps instead of the mandatory three weeks, the corps members were in the early hours of Wednesday informed of the abrupt end to their camp experience and journey.


While emphasizing that the federal government is not committed to preventing Nigerians from the deadly disease which is currently ravaging the world, they maintained that other countries with serious cases are all closing their borders over the pandemic.

Speaking with DAILY POST on the issue, a civil servant in the state, Mr. David Adesina described the federal government’s move as inappropriate.

According to him, the situation would be better controlled if the movement is totally restricted within the camp.


He added that the corps members were further allowed to be prone to the virus as most of them will have to travel where they will have body contacts with others.

Also, a businesswoman in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Folasade Akinkunmi who also frowned at the decision stressed that the first thing that the federal government ought to have done was to ban all flights from countries with high magnitude of the virus.

She said that the cases reported so far in Nigeria were from a foreigner and Nigerians returning from overseas trips, hence the need for the country to focus on international flights.


Meanwhile, when contacted one of the corps members at the Ikare-Akoko orientation camp who craved anonymity said that they are still waiting to receive the posting letters to their respective Places of Primary Assignments, PPAs.

The corps member who spoke with DAILY POST as at the time of filing this report added that most of them are still confused about the development, she stressed that some of the corps members are willing to stay back as they were not prepared to embark on a long-distance journey yet.