As part of efforts to reduce the risk of exposing prospective corps members to the rigours of long-distance road trips and the country’s deepening security crisis, the federal government in June approved a new National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployment arrangement. The main goal of the reform is to deploy and post corps members closer to their places of residence or within their states, hence reducing the risks associated with travelling long distances amid insecurity
However, months after the approval of the new deployment arrangement by the Federal Executive Council, there is no indication that the NYSC has begun to implement it, as graduates are still forced to grapple and contend with the issues and challenges that necessitated the review of posting arrangements in the first place.
On Friday, reports emerged that 19 prospective corps members who were travelling from Ibadan to Abia State for their three-week NYSC orientation camp were abducted in Imo State. One woman, a relative of one of the abducted graduates, raised alarm and drew public attention to the ordeal of corps members in a now-viral video she made at the office of the transport company, Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, whose buses the graduates were travelling in.
The woman said she was contacted and informed of the abduction by one of the drivers who managed to escape after they were ambushed along Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State. The drivers reportedly also alerted security personnel, prompting police and military operatives to launch a search.
Kidnappers demands
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, confirmed the abduction of the passengers on Friday and said the abductors demanded N50m as ransom for each victim.
Recounting the unfortunate incident, Akpan disclosed that the buses left Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday but were held up in traffic around Benin, which made them get to Onitsha late in the day. The passengers spent the night in Oba and resumed their journey around 5am on Thursday. Akpan said they had barely entered Imo State when gunmen emerged from the bush.
“They blocked the two vehicles and took 19 passengers, all corps members, into the bush,” he said.
Families of some victims also said the abductors contacted them using the victims’ phones and demanded N50m for each person.
One mother, Mrs Oladosu, said her daughter Greatness and other corps members were briefly shown to the family during a video call.
“They used my daughter’s number to call us. We saw her and other corps members sitting on the ground in the bush, crying,” she said.
Oyo government reacts
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government condemned the abduction and said Governor Seyi Makinde had directed that necessary resources be deployed to secure their release.
“We are fully committed to securing the safe release of our children and will stop at nothing to ensure that they are reunited with their families without harm,” Commissioner for Information Dotun Oyelade said.
Rescue mission: IGP deploys DIG to rescue 20 corps members, others
The Nigerian police on Friday began an operation to rescue the 20 prospective corps members and other passengers.
This follows the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, deployment of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to oversee the search-and-rescue operation.
In a statement on Friday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said Nadada arrived in Imo with two Commissioners of Police and immediately assessed the situation at the scene, as well as the ongoing efforts to locate and rescue the victims.
The DIG also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and available operational assets before issuing additional directives aimed at strengthening the coordinated response.
The assessment was done alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso; Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders and members of the management team of the Imo State Police Command.
According to Iniedu, the police have intensified the search operation, deploying additional tactical teams and operational resources to identified locations.
He said the operation was being reinforced through intelligence-led efforts to track the abductors, alongside coordinated operations with other security agencies.
Nadada, according to the statement, assured members of the public that the police would continue working to secure the safe release of those abducted.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” Iniedu quoted Nadada as saying.
The DIG appealed to members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant, while urging anyone with credible information that could assist the rescue operation to report to the police or the nearest security formation.
“All information received will be treated with strict confidentiality,” he said.
The police said further information on the rescue operation would be made available as developments unfold.
