NYSC Kidnap: Freed Graduates Get South-West Posting Offer

Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who were released after being abducted in Imo State, have reportedly been offered the opportunity to choose any of the six South-West states for their national service.

A parent of one of the survivors disclosed the arrangement, saying the graduates could select their preferred states and continue their service with the current batch.

The offer follows the abduction of the 20 graduates on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. They were travelling in two commercial buses operated by Uko Akwa Ibom Motors and were reportedly heading to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when they were seized.

The graduates were released on Wednesday after spending several days in captivity.

However, accounts from their families indicated that ransom payments were made to secure their freedom. One parent said the families eventually paid ₦6 million for each captive, while relatives and well-wishers contributed towards raising the money.

The disclosure contrasts with the police account of the release. Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso said he was unaware of any ransom payment, maintaining that sustained pressure from security operatives forced the kidnappers to release the victims.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Anietie Iniedu, also attributed their freedom to joint search-and-rescue operations involving security agencies.

Following their release, the graduates were taken to the Department of State Services hospital in Owerri for medical evaluation. NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, subsequently visited them alongside security officials.

The NYSC had not publicly confirmed the reported South-West posting arrangement as of the latest reports.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of prospective corps members travelling long distances to attend orientation camps. It has also intensified calls for stronger security measures and a review of the scheme’s deployment policy.

The NYSC was established in 1973 to promote national unity and integration by deploying graduates to states outside their places of origin. However, repeated attacks on corps members and prospective participants have prompted renewed debate over how the programme can continue while protecting young Nigerians.