 who were abducted by armed gunmen on Independence Day have been released after spending seven days in captivity.){kind=link}
Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were abducted by armed gunmen on Independence Day have been released after spending seven days in captivity.
The prospective corps members, who were traveling from Oyo State to their designated orientation camps, were intercepted and taken hostage on 1 October. Their abduction triggered nationwide anxiety, particularly after the kidnappers initially demanded a N1 billion ransom and issued threats against their lives.
The successful release of the victims was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, during a phone briefing with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
In an official statement released in Ibadan, the media aide to the Olubadan, Adeola Oloko, confirmed that the monarch received the news directly from the Imo State governor.
“The Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, confirmed this in a telephone conversation with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Ladoja at 5:00 pm today, Wednesday,” Oloko stated.
The prospective corps members—young university and polytechnic graduates embarking on their mandatory one-year national service scheme—were ambushed while transiting to their orientation camp in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The abductors demanded N50 million for each victim but later reduced the ransom to N5 million per person, totaling N100 million.
There is no confirmation if the ransom was paid before the release of the corps members.
While details regarding the operational specifics of their rescue or release remain guarded by security authorities, the victims are expected to undergo thorough medical assessments and psychological debriefing before reuniting with their families.
The National Youth Service Corps, established in 1973 to foster national unity among Nigerian graduates, has faced growing calls from stakeholders to review deployment travel arrangements and enhance security measures along major transit corridors.
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