Gunmen release last of eight abducted NYSC members after one year in captivity

Gunmen in Northern Nigeria have released the last of the eight prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, abducted along a highway in Zamfara State while travelling to take part in the orientation camp in Sokoto State, North-west Nigeria.

The youths were abducted in August last year while honouring the mandatory one-year national service after graduating from university.

PREMIUM TIMES in May reported that six of the corps members had been released while two were still in captivity, nine months after they were abducted.

It is not clear, however, when one of the two was released.

Vanguard newspaper on Friday reported that the last of the eight, Solomon Daniel, has been released after spending a year in captivity.

A family source simply identified as “Umoh” told Vanguard that he was released on Thursday.

“We were told last week that my boy will be freed this week. As of yesterday (Thursday), we didn’t hear anything. But I got the information this morning that he regained his freedom on Thursday. I give God all the glory,” Umoh said.

Umoh, who received the news of his son’s release while going to work, expressed happiness over the development, according to the newspaper.

The newspaper did not state if ransom was paid.

Kidnap-for-ransom has been on the rise in the country, particularly in the North-east Nigeria where gunmen abduct high-profile Nigerians and release them after collecting millions of naira as ransom.

The continuous stay in captivity of the youths had triggered outrage from Nigerians and civil society groups in the country, calling on the federal government to take action to secure their release.

Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, a civil society group in the state, had urged the federal government to take urgent steps to secure the release of the two remaining corps members.

The appeal was part of the resolutions made by the group at the end of its meeting held on 10 April in Uyo.

The group urged the federal government to overhaul the NYSC to enable corps members to serve in their geo-political zones.