Kwara converts NYSC camp to IDP shelter as insecurity displaces thousands
The Kwara State Government has converted the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, into an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp following a surge in insecurity that has forced thousands of residents from their homes.
The development comes amid growing concerns over violent attacks and abductions across parts of the state, particularly in communities bordering Niger State.
Data obtained by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) revealed that between January 1 and November 7, 2025, no fewer than 207 people were killed in Kwara State, including 84 civilians.
Within the same period, at least 177 persons were abducted, with the highest number of incidents recorded in Ifelodun, Pategi, Kaiama, Irepodun and Oyun local government areas.
Security analysts have linked the violence to armed groups operating within forest corridors along the Niger-Kwara axis, warning that the region is gradually emerging as another hotspot in Nigeria’s expanding security crisis.
The worsening situation had earlier forced the NYSC to relocate its orientation activities from Yikpata to the Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin over safety concerns.
The State Coordinator of the NYSC, Onifade Olaoluwa Joshua, had confirmed the relocation last year, saying the decision followed consultations with the state government after concerns were raised over the security of corps members.
“We are fully prepared to host the orientation course, and the welfare of participants will be safeguarded. Soldiers and other security personnel will be deployed to guarantee the safety of corps members during the three-week exercise,” he said.
Spokesperson of the Kwara State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Afolabi Temple, disclosed that the Yikpata camp currently houses more than 1,000 displaced persons, including about 800 children, 500 women and 165 men.
He spoke during the distribution of intervention materials jointly provided by the Kwara State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to displaced residents at the camp.
The relief materials included Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) supplies and other humanitarian items aimed at improving living conditions for residents taking refuge at the facility.
Officials of RUWASSA formally handed over the items to the Camp Commandant, Captain Umar Adamu, for onward distribution to beneficiaries.
Speaking during the exercise, the General Manager of RUWASSA, Olorunfemi Adewumi Oladipo, represented by the Head of Department, Sanitation and Hygiene, Abdulazeez Olalekan Rufai, commended the Kwara State Government and UNICEF for supporting vulnerable residents affected by insecurity.
According to him, the intervention demonstrates the growing partnership between the state government and development agencies in addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by displacement in affected communities.
“We sincerely appreciate the Kwara State Government and UNICEF for their swift intervention and commitment to the welfare of displaced persons in Yikpata camp. This support will go a long way in improving hygiene conditions, promoting healthy living, and bringing relief to families currently facing difficult circumstances,” he said.
Rufai added that RUWASSA would continue hygiene sensitisation and sanitation activities within the camp to prevent disease outbreaks and maintain a healthy environment for displaced residents.
Receiving the materials on behalf of the camp, Captain Umar Adamu thanked the state government and UNICEF for the intervention, assuring that the items would be distributed transparently to beneficiaries.
Also speaking, a representative of the displaced persons, Bello Abubakar, popularly known as the camp teacher, said the support had brought hope to many families struggling with the effects of displacement.
He noted that women and children in particular had continued to face severe hardship since fleeing their communities due to insecurity.
The intervention forms part of ongoing humanitarian efforts by the Kwara State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners, to provide relief and improve the living conditions of internally displaced persons across the state.
