Zulum Proposes Relocation of Borno NYSC Camp to Auno for Expansion and Security

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has proposed moving the National Youth Service Corps permanent orientation camp from its present city-centre location to Government Secondary School, Auno, arguing that the shift is necessary for long-term planning, stronger security and future expansion.

Zulum made the proposal during an inspection visit on Friday with the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, and other senior officials of the scheme. He said the state must plan for growing mobilisation numbers rather than keep a camp in a location that could soon become overstretched.

The governor said projections show Borno may host between 3,000 and 5,000 corps members within the next one to two years. In his view, housing that volume in a central urban site would increase pressure on roads, public services and other infrastructure already serving a large population.

He explained that Auno offers more room and links to major infrastructure under development. According to him, a bypass being built close to the proposed site, about two to 2.5 kilometres away, will improve access. He added that a teaching hospital expected to be commissioned within two to three months and the state university located along the same axis make the corridor a strategic institutional zone.

Zulum said the decision is about investing public funds where the state can get sustained value over time. He maintained that government should prioritise a location that allows expansion and avoids the risk of immediate congestion.

He listed existing facilities at the proposed site, including two hostels with eight dormitories, a dining hall and kitchen, 26 classrooms with attached offices, seven laboratories, 12 additional rooms, an overhead water tank and a working solar-powered borehole. He said the classroom spaces alone can hold around 1,300 to 1,500 corps members at a time.

On safety concerns, the governor said the area can be effectively secured because of nearby security formations and a military checkpoint. He said that if the site passes final assessment, the state will reinforce the perimeter fence, strengthen the broader security design and deploy modern technology to reduce the risk of intrusion.

He also pledged support for accommodation for NYSC personnel, including possible acquisition of extra housing units within the Federal Mass Housing Estate, so camp administration and welfare can run without disruption.

In his remarks, NYSC Director-General Nafiu praised the proposal, describing it as forward-looking and aligned with the direction in which the scheme is growing. He said the Federal Government has steadily increased annual mobilisation numbers from 300,000 to 350,000, then to 400,000, and now to 450,000 in 2026, a trend that makes scalable camp planning essential.

Nafiu said security remains central to deployment decisions nationwide and commended the governor for inviting the Garrison Commander and Theatre Intelligence Commander to join the assessment process, so technical guidance can be provided before final decisions are made.

Secretary to the Borno State Government, Hon. Bukar Tijani, said the facility had been developed by the state but was never put into operation. He noted that the premises are fenced, although parts of the perimeter wall deteriorated over time due to disuse and animal intrusion.

If approved by NYSC authorities after full technical review, the relocation plan could reshape how Borno prepares for future corps intake, with a stronger focus on capacity, secure operations and integration into the state’s expanding education and health corridor.

Officials said additional assessments will guide final implementation timelines.