Tragedy struck at the NYSC Camp, Yikpata in Edu local government area of kwara state as one of the corps members, Shuaibu Tijani with registration number KW/10A/1881 mysteriously died as result of snake bite in the camp.
State coordinator Mrs Makinde Comfort who broke the sad news Tuesday at the camp during the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2010 Batch A corps members regretted that spirited efforts made to save the life of the youth corp member who was rushed to the university of Ilorin teaching hospital failed.
Two Corp members who spoke with Vanguard on conditions of anonymity over the development said that the snake bite was as result of the environment that was not fumigated before they were allowed into the camp.
“we used to see many reptiles here, but it wouldn’t have been so if the environment had been properly fumigated before we were allowed in here” she stressed.
Explaining the tragedy, another corp member said the late colleague was going to pray in the mosque at about 7pm with his slippers on, whereas they had been warned to always put on their boot when the incident happened.
The corp member noted that the medical personnel around immediately came to the rescue to administer many anti viral drugs on the corper so as to neutralize the poison stressing that the efforts failed as they used about five different types because they could not ascertain the exact nature of the poison inflicted.
Eventually he said the corper was rushed to the teaching hospital where he died some four days later.
Already, the state government has ordered the perimeter fencing of the camp so as to avoid reptiles infiltrating into the camp to wreck further damage on the youth corps members while on the camp.
Governor Bukola Saraki who was represented by his deputy Chief Joel Ogundeji at the ceremony also gave a directive that no organization, be it private or government in the state should give corps member less than N5000 as monthly allowance, but that it could be more.
The state coordinator however urged the corps employers,” to adequately utilize the already sharpened skill of these youths for the overall good of their establishments. In addition, good welfare packages like transport accommodation or money in lieu should be provided for them with a view to motivating them to effectively discharged their responsibilities”