Nineteen NYSC Members Abducted, Ransom Demanded

On Wednesday, a group of nineteen prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) set out from Ibadan, Oyo State, to attend their orientation camp in the South-East, with a formal swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Friday, October 2. Their journey faced delays due to traffic in Benin City and poor road conditions in Onitsha, where they spent the night.

The following morning, while traveling on the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, they were ambushed by unknown gunmen who blocked their buses and abducted all nineteen corps members. Isiah Akpan, Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, confirmed the incident.

The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N50 million for each captive and issued a 24-hour ultimatum, threatening harm if their demands are not met. Families of the victims, including Mrs Alimot Akande, whose daughter is among the abducted, have expressed their desperation and fear, appealing for assistance from security agencies and community leaders.