The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to either get the eight kidnapped youth corpers freed within 24 hours or resign forthwith.

Relying on media reports, HURIWA gathered that the victims were kidnapped a highway in Zamfara on Saturday August 21st, 2023, while traveling from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto, en route to Zamfara State. They are still in the kidnappers den.

They were to take part in the mandatory national service when the bandits intercepted their vehicle. According to reports, 11 corps members were kidnapped but three managed to escape. Aside from the eight corps members, the driver of the bus was also abducted. Also, it was gathered that the family of one of the victims, Betty Udofia, was reached and that the kidnappers were demanding N4 million ransom.

The group commended the current management of the NYSC for virtually relocating the management office of the Corps from Abuja temporarily to Zamfara State since the last 10 days the prospective corpers were kidnapped by terrorists just so they personally coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders, including the Army, Police and other security agencies to free the hostages. HURIWA however said it thinks the Acting IGP has not prioritised the rescue of these corpers for no justifiable reasons.

The rights group also condemned the lack of administrative sanctions on heads of security agencies by the President for the widespread insecurity all around the country. “If the heads of security forces are punished administratively for dereliction of duty following security breaches in Nigeria, the acting IGP would've sit up to send troops to rescue the kidnapped corpers,” the group said. HURIWA said although the kidnapping of the corpers was such a very sensitive issue because it touches on the institution set up by the Country to promote national cohesion, unity and to harness the talents, skills and gifts of youngsters towards national service, it reminded those advocating the abolition of the NYSC because kidnappings have become hydra-headed monsters, asserted that Nigerians should be more focused on demanding intelligence-based policing which is lacking in Nigeria than taking the cheap logic of calling for an end to the great national institution such as NYSC. “HURIWA is therefore demanding that the Acting IGP takes concrete steps to ensure that the eight corpers still being held in captivity by terrorists were freed within 24 hours or he quits or be dismissed for failing in his task of securing the nation, going by the fact that the NYSC is a symbol of our national unity which must be safeguarded by every legitimate means. "It is indeed disappointing that the IGP, the Zamfara state Governor abandoned these corpers with terrorists and went to Rwanda to attend the so-called leadership programme just as Akwa Ibom state Governor, the Governor of the state of origin of most of these kidnapped corpers, allegedly travelled too to Rwanda on political jamboree,” the group posited in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko .

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