The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has blamed the eight corps members who were abducted in August while travelling to Sokoto State for their primary assignment for their plight.
SaharaReporters reported on August 23, 2023, that eight corps members had been kidnapped by suspected terrorists on their way to camp in Zamfara State on Monday, August 21, 2023.
The corps members were travelling in an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State, for the one-year mandatory national service, when their vehicle was intercepted by the hoodlums.
Although, there were reportedly 11 corps members and the driver in the bus, three of the corps members escaped during the attack.
The eight corps members were abducted alongside the driver.
Emmanuel Esudue, a graduate of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, from Akwa Ibom State University, and Victoria Udoka, a graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Uyo were among the young graduates who were kidnapped by the terrorists.
SaharaReporters also reported on August 24, that the Nigeria Police Force and the army had organised a search party for the kidnapped corps members.
On Monday, September 4, Mr Emmanuel Etteh, father of one of the kidnapped corps members accused security agencies and the NYSC of not showing concern towards the plight of the victims and their families.
But reacting to the allegation, the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, blamed the corps members for the ordeal.
According to him, the corps members ignored the warning of NYSC by embarking on a night journey.
Speaking in an interview with Channels TV, Megwa said that the corps members might not have been abducted if they had adhered to the NYSC’s warning against travelling after 6 p.m.
Megwa said, “Let's not look at the NYSC as if we are living in a different world. NYSC is part of Nigerian society. You and I know the kind of security situation we have in the country; it is not selective.
“Some students were kidnapped at a point, and government officials, even young children at primary and nursery schools are kidnapped.
“So NYSC or corps members are not living in a different world, but we have made it categorically clear.
“We told our corps members, ‘Please, don’t travel in the night’. In their call-up letters, we stated this clearly. We said, ‘Please, anywhere you are, once it is 6 p.m., cut short your trip. Find a park, police station, military barracks, corpers’ lodge or anywhere you think is safe. Park and continue your journey tomorrow’.
“Now this issue in question, they got to that point around 8 pm and that Funtua Road is very deadly. All passengers, the moment they got to that place by 6 p.m., they parked but this driver continued with his trip.
“Perchance they did not travel at night, perchance they slept at a safe place at 6 p.m., all these issues we are talking about wouldn’t have happened. However, it has happened and it is our responsibility and responsibility of Nigerians to ensure we get them back safe and good."
He also added that the NYSC was working on security measures to ensure it wouldn't happen again.
“There are security measures we put in place to make sure that such issues will not happen. When you go to our orientation camps, we have our security modalities that are put in place to ensure security breaches do not occur while in orientation camps.
“NYSC is very proactive; even before the commencement of the orientation camps, we made publications in traditional media. We told them specifically, ‘Please, do not travel at night.’ The management has done everything that they need to do.”