NYSC Kidnap: Freed Graduates Get South West Posting Offer

The 20 prospective corps members recently 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 this on Friday, saying the graduates had been allowed to select their preferred states to continue their service with the current batch.

The parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also revealed that the families paid N6m in ransom for each abducted graduate to secure their release.

Another relative, Joy Zainab, confirmed that family members and well-wishers contributed towards the ransom payment. She expressed relief that the victim had returned home safely and thanked those who offered prayers, support and financial assistance during the ordeal.

The disclosures corroborated an earlier account by Alirat Wahab, the mother of another survivor, who said the kidnappers initially demanded N50m for each captive before eventually accepting N6m.

Wahab explained that the kidnappers had rejected the family’s initial offer of N500,000 and later reduced their demand to N15m before agreeing to the lower amount following appeals.

She said relatives and other Nigerians contributed towards raising the money. According to her, the kidnappers instructed the family to send representatives to Ibadan, Oyo State, where her husband and son met an intermediary.

The money was transferred into a designated account, after which the representatives were directed to convert the funds into US dollars upon reaching Imo State.

The 20 prospective corps members were abducted 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 Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The kidnappers subsequently demanded N50m for each victim.

The Imo State Police Command announced on Wednesday that the graduates had been rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village in Owerri West Local Government Area. However, the victims’ families disputed the police account, insisting that ransom payments had secured their freedom.

One of the mothers said the ordeal had taken a toll on her health, disclosing that she and her daughter had been hospitalised for treatment after the incident.

A survivor, who spoke briefly by telephone, expressed gratitude for being alive but declined to discuss the experience further.

Meanwhile, attempts to obtain confirmation from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) concerning the reported South-West posting arrangement had not received a response from the scheme’s spokesperson, Caroline Embu, as of press time.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, had earlier said he was unaware of any ransom payment, maintaining that sustained security pressure forced the kidnappers to release the victims.

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

Following their release, the prospective corps members were taken to the Department of State Services hospital in Owerri for medical evaluation. NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, visited them alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade.

The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of graduates travelling long distances to attend NYSC orientation camps, with similar attacks reported in different parts of the country.

On August 26, 15 prospective corps members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja were abducted along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Kogi State. They were later rescued by security operatives in Egume Forest.

In May, Abuja-based lawyer and serving corps member Eunice Ameh was abducted in Maitama, Abuja, and regained her freedom after a ransom was reportedly paid.

The repeated attacks have also intensified calls for the NYSC scheme to be scrapped or substantially reformed. Critics argue that deploying young graduates far from their home states exposes them to avoidable security risks.

Established in 1973 under Decree No. 24 during the administration of General Yakubu Gowon, the NYSC was designed to promote national reconciliation, reconstruction and integration following the Nigerian Civil War. Its deployment policy requires graduates to serve in states other than their states of origin.

In June 2026, the Federal Executive Council approved a package of reforms for the scheme, including risk-sensitive deployment, a technology-driven call-up process and an extension of the orientation programme from three to six weeks. The reforms also included specialised career streams intended to align corps members’ assignments with their qualifications and interests.

However, the recent abductions have raised questions about the implementation of the proposed safety measures, particularly for graduates travelling to orientation camps or serving in areas affected by insecurity.

A former corps member, Veronica Oloko, called for the scheme to be discontinued until the security situation improves. She also suggested that, if the programme continued, designated bus stations and armed security escorts should be provided for corps members travelling between states.

Another parent, Akeem Kareem, supported calls to scrap the scheme, citing the fear among families over the safety of young graduates posted to distant parts of the country.