.....Police confirm rescued NYSC prospective corps members taken to hospital
The 20 prospective corps members abducted in Imo State on October 1 have been rescued and taken for medical assessment and necessary care.
They were rescued on Wednesday, October 7, at Amakohia Ubi Village following sustained search and rescue operations.
Photo Credit : NPF
Twenty prospective members of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps have regained their freedom after being abducted while travelling to orientation camps in the country’s southeast, according to reports.
The graduates were travelling from Ibadan in Oyo State to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen intercepted two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha road in Imo State on October 1.
The attack took place near Umunoha in Mbaitoli local government area, according to police.
The abduction triggered widespread concern, with relatives appealing for urgent government intervention as security forces launched a search for the victims.
The kidnappers initially demanded 50 million naira ($36,000) for each victim, amounting to one billion naira, before reportedly reducing the demand to five million naira per person.
Police said their operations were complicated by intelligence that the kidnappers' hideout had been planted with improvised explosive devices.
The release of the prospective corps members comes nearly a week after the abduction and will bring relief to their families, who had been anxiously awaiting their return.
The incident has also renewed concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling to take part in the mandatory national service programme.
The NYSC, established in 1973, deploys Nigerian graduates across the country for a one-year programme aimed at promoting national integration.
Photo Credit : NPF
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