HURIWA Condemns Abduction of 15 NYSC Members in Kogi, Demands Immediate Rescue
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the reported abduction of 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Kogi State, calling for their immediate and unconditional rescue.
In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the rights group described the incident as a disturbing reminder of the persistent insecurity confronting corps members and other travellers on Nigerian highways.
According to HURIWA, the corps members were reportedly abducted on Wednesday, August 26, while returning from the NYSC orientation camp in Bayelsa State and travelling to Abuja.
The organisation said the victims were allegedly intercepted by armed men along the Ofu/Itobe–Onicha-Igo Road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
HURIWA expressed outrage that young Nigerians participating in the mandatory national service scheme could still be kidnapped while travelling to their places of primary assignment, despite repeated assurances by the government to improve security across the country.
“It is shocking and unacceptable that young Nigerians serving their fatherland can still be abducted on Nigerian highways without an effective system in place to guarantee their safety,” the group stated.
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The association said the latest incident highlighted what it described as a failure by the government to adequately protect members of the National Youth Service Corps, noting that cases of corps members being kidnapped, attacked or killed while travelling had become recurring.
“How many more corps members must be kidnapped before the government wakes up?” HURIWA asked.
The rights group said the incident had further strengthened calls for a comprehensive review of the NYSC scheme, arguing that the safety of corps members must become a national priority.
It questioned the rationale behind requiring young graduates to travel through routes widely considered unsafe without adequate security arrangements.
HURIWA urged the Federal Government to introduce safer transportation options for corps members, including the use of air transport for those travelling from or through high-risk areas.
“The government cannot continue posting young Nigerians to different parts of the country and leave them to the mercy of armed kidnappers on dangerous highways. Young Nigerians should not have to choose between serving their country and staying alive,” the statement added.
The organisation called on security agencies to intensify search-and-rescue operations to ensure the safe return of all the abducted corps members, stressing that the matter should not become another unresolved kidnapping case.
It also demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, as well as the arrest and prosecution of all those responsible.
HURIWA maintained that beyond securing the release of the victims, the Federal Government must urgently strengthen security measures for corps members and implement lasting reforms that would prevent similar incidents in the future.
By PRNigeria
