BREAKING: 20 Kidnapped NYSC Prospective Corps Members Regain Freedom After Seven Days
Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who were abducted while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their orientation camps in the South-East, have regained their freedom.
The victims were kidnapped on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, after gunmen attacked the two buses conveying them.
Their release came exactly seven days after the abduction, bringing relief to their families and loved ones who had endured days of uncertainty and fear over their safety.
How the abduction happened
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The 20 graduates were travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps when the attackers intercepted their buses and took them into captivity.
The incident triggered widespread concern, particularly because the victims were young Nigerians travelling to begin their mandatory national service.
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim, putting the total ransom at about ₦1 billion. The demand was later reportedly reduced to ₦5 million per person, or ₦100 million for all 20 victims.
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Earlier reports had raised fears about the condition of the abducted graduates, with families saying the victims were being subjected to physical assault while in captivity.
Rescued victims receiving medical attention
Following their release, the 20 prospective corps members are receiving medical attention at the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier-General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the facility to meet the rescued graduates and assess their condition.
He was accompanied by senior security officials, including the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the DSS Director and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade.
The circumstances surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid, have not been officially disclosed.
The development represents a major relief for the families of the young graduates and ends a tense seven-day ordeal.
It also renews questions about the safety of young Nigerians travelling across the country for national service and the need for stronger security measures along major highways.
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Headlineswave monitored the development.
