The Afenifere group has expressed shock and disappointment over the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were traveling from Ibadan to their places of primary assignment. The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 30, when the graduates were kidnapped around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. The group has urged the federal government to take immediate action to make the NYSC scheme safer for young Nigerians.
According to Afenifere's National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, the group has been calling for reforms to the NYSC policy since 2021 to enable corps members to serve in their states or areas of domicile. This, they believe, would reduce the risk of kidnapping and other security risks associated with long-distance travel. The group sympathized with the families of the abducted graduates and urged security agencies and the governments of Oyo and Imo states to intensify efforts to secure their immediate release.
The 20 graduates, who departed from the Samonda area of Ibadan, Oyo State, were armed with their NYSC call-up letters and were traveling towards Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State. The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident, and the kidnappers initially demanded N100 million ransom per victim before reducing the demand to N5 million per person by Sunday. Afenifere condemned the abduction, saying it exposed the urgent need to review the deployment structure of the NYSC scheme.
Afenifere stated that forcing young Nigerians to undertake long-distance journeys for national service amid worsening insecurity exposed them unnecessarily to kidnapping and other security risks. The group also called on the federal government to expedite amendments to the NYSC Act to enable graduates to serve in their states of origin, residence, or at least within their geopolitical zones. This, they believe, would reduce the tendency for prospective corps members to travel long distances for national service.
The group recalled that they had repeatedly called for a review of the NYSC policy, especially whenever there were incidents of corps members being kidnapped or attacked. Some national newspapers have even written editorials endorsing their position. Afenifere's position was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, who urged the federal government to take immediate action to address the issue.
The incident has once again brought to the fore the need for urgent reforms to the NYSC scheme. The group believes that if corps members are allowed to serve in their states or areas of domicile, the risk of being kidnapped would greatly reduce. The federal government has been urged to take a critical look at the NYSC policy and make necessary adjustments to ensure the safety of young Nigerians.
The kidnapping of the 20 graduates has sparked widespread concern, and the group has urged all stakeholders to work together to secure their release. The incident has also highlighted the need for a more robust security framework to protect young Nigerians engaged in national service. The federal government has been urged to take a proactive approach to addressing the issue and ensuring that the NYSC scheme is made safer for all participants.
Key points
- Afenifere demands urgent reform of NYSC to make it safer for young Nigerians.
- The group urges the federal government to expedite amendments to the NYSC Act.
- Afenifere suggests allowing graduates to serve in their states of origin, residence, or within their geopolitical zones.
