FRSC, NYSC dismiss viral report claiming 16 Corps Members died in Gombe accident

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has dismissed circulating claims of a fatal accident involving prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to Gombe State.

A viral post had alleged that 16 corps members were killed and two critically injured in a road crash on Wednesday.

However, Janet Kassa, the FRSC Public Relations Officer in Gombe, said checks conducted across all units and commands in the state showed no record of such an incident.

“I have checked with my colleagues, there is no indication this happened in Gombe, not to mention that it even occurred,” she said, urging the public to ignore the misleading post.

Similarly, Jennifer Laha, the NYSC PRO in Gombe, dismissed the images circulating online, describing them as suspicious.

Journalists also contacted Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED) in Ondo State, where the corps members were claimed to have travelled from, but the institution denied any knowledge of the reported accident.

The NYSC scheme requires graduates to travel across the country for their mandatory one-year service, often covering long distances through unfamiliar or risky routes.

Over the years, several road crashes involving both prospective and serving corps members have been documented, increasing concerns about safety during transit.

In January 2025, four people died when a 14-seater bus conveying corps members to the NYSC orientation camp in Ebonyi crashed into a stationary truck.

Despite repeated warnings from the NYSC against night and unauthorised travel, many graduates still face significant risks.

As of the time of filing this report, NYSC national spokesperson Caroline Embu has yet to comment on the renewed concerns triggered by the viral post.

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