Military, Police begin search for kidnapped Zamfara corpers

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reported that its Director General, Brig. Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, is working with the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and the military brigade to secure the release of eight corps members who were kidnapped in Zamfara State on Saturday.

Eddy Megwa, the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, disclosed this development during a phone interview on Wednesday with a correspondent. He stated that the NYSC DG was presently in Zamfara State, and the organization was working in partnership with the police, military brigade, and DSS to ensure the safe release of the kidnapped corps members.

The incident occurred when gunmen abducted eight NYSC members who were traveling in an AKTC bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State for their mandatory national service. According to a source from the transport company, three out of the eleven corps members on the bus managed to escape during the attack, while the remaining eight were abducted.

The source confirmed that the corps members were taken off the bus and into the bush, with the police subsequently recovering the abandoned vehicle. The group had departed from Uyo on Friday, stopped overnight in Abuja, and were en route to Sokoto when the kidnapping occurred.

In a separate incident, another NYSC member named Miss Esther Akande, who was abducted on August 16 while en route to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Nasarawa State, revealed that her abductors demanded a ransom of N1 million (Nigerian Naira) for her release. After negotiations, the ransom was eventually reduced to N1 million, and her family paid the amount to secure her freedom.

Miss Esther clarified that the payment was made at a location in Abaji, and she was subsequently released. Although she received medical attention at the NYSC camp after her release, the police were not involved in her rescue or the transaction process.

While the NYSC initially denied knowledge of any ransom payment, a family source confirmed that the ransom was indeed paid, with the support of Adeyemi College of Education (where she had graduated from) and contributions from other corps members, undergraduates, and staff members.

Despite differing accounts regarding the ransom, it is evident that the NYSC, security agencies, and concerned individuals worked collectively to secure the safe return of the abducted NYSC members.