20 Rescued Prospective Corps Members Reunite With Families in Ibadan
20 Rescued Prospective Corps Members Reunite With Families in Ibadan
Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who were abducted while travelling to their orientation camps, have reunited with their families in Ibadan, Oyo State, following their rescue in Imo State.
The victims regained their freedom on Wednesday, October 7, after spending seven days in captivity. They were subsequently taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Ibadan for debriefing before reuniting with their families.
The prospective corps members were among 30 graduates travelling from Oyo State to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen abducted them along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway on October 1. The remaining 10 reportedly escaped during the attack.
One of the parents, Mrs Faith Felicia Abiala, expressed relief at being reunited with her daughter and commended the security agencies involved in securing the victims’ release.
She urged the Federal Government to strengthen security arrangements for prospective corps members travelling to their places of deployment, suggesting air transportation as an alternative for long-distance journeys.
The rescue and subsequent reunion have brought relief to the affected families, while the incident has renewed concerns about the safety of young graduates travelling across the country for national service.
Police have said efforts are continuing to apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
