NYSC Tragedy: Female Corps Member Dies Days After Arrival in Maiduguri Camp

Tragedy struck at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, following the death of a female corps member, Lovina Bamaiyi Ajegena, barely days after reporting for service.

Lovina was said to have died on April 27, 2026, after a brief illness that began shortly into the orientation programme.

Details of her final days were recounted by a fellow corps member, Augustine Pamela, who said they first met at a motor park while arranging transport to the camp and subsequently travelled together to Maiduguri.

According to Pamela, their acquaintance quickly grew closer after they were assigned the same room and bunk space at the camp, leading others to assume they had known each other for much longer.

She explained that about six days into the programme, Lovina fell ill, prompting her to step in to provide care and support.

Pamela said she assisted the deceased with daily routines, including feeding, bathing and monitoring her condition through the night as her health deteriorated.

In the process, she said she also took ill and both of them were admitted to the same hospital, where Lovina’s condition worsened.

Despite efforts to stabilise her, Pamela recalled that Lovina continued to experience severe pain but remained appreciative of the help she received.

“She would hold on to me whenever the pain became intense,” she said, describing the experience as emotionally draining.

Pamela added that she watched helplessly as her colleague battled the illness, noting that the bond they shared within a short period made the loss even more difficult to bear.

Lovina was confirmed dead at about 7:03 a.m. on April 27, leaving her friend and other corps members in shock.

The incident has raised fresh concerns about health conditions and emergency response systems at orientation camps, although officials are yet to issue a formal statement on the circumstances surrounding her death..