A 55-year-old mother, Janet Oladosu, has appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue her son, Greatness, and 19 other prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted while travelling to their orientation camps.
The 20 graduates reportedly left the Samonda area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on September 30 for orientation camps in the South-East and South-South. They were later abducted near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State while travelling towards Akwa Ibom and Abia states.
Oladosu told Vanguard that her son had remained in contact with her during the journey until she received a message from another phone informing her that the travellers had been kidnapped.
She appealed to the Federal Government, the Oyo and Imo State governments and security agencies to make the safe return of the victims an immediate priority.
The abduction has generated growing concern among the victims’ families. Earlier reports said the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N50 million per victim, amounting to N1 billion. Subsequent reports from Punch and Vanguard said the demand was reduced to N5 million per victim, bringing the reported total to N100 million.
The development has also renewed calls for changes to the NYSC deployment system. The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, urged the Federal Government to amend the NYSC Act to allow graduates to serve in their states of origin, states of residence or, where necessary, within their geopolitical zones.
Afenifere argued that such a policy would reduce the security risks associated with long-distance travel by prospective corps members.
The group also called on security agencies and the governments of Oyo and Imo states to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ release.
The incident comes amid broader concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling to different parts of the country for national service, with families continuing to appeal for the safe return of their loved ones.
