Zamfara State: HURIWA asks kidnappers to free abducted corp members

Calls For Support For NYSC Towards Securing Release Of Affected Corp Members

Following the kidnap of eight National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members along Zamfara State highway, Nigerians have been asked to support the vigourous efforts of NYSC management in securing release of hostages.

This was as the rights group – Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has asked the kidnappers holding the Corp members to free them because they were only going to Zamfara to help the rural people solve basic social problems such as education, health empowerment and provision of critical care that would benefit Zamfara people.

HURIWA has called on the government and people of Zamfara to partner with NYSC to guarantee security to the Corp members posted to the state.

HURIWA, which wondered why a Police spokesperson in Zamfara, Yazid Abubakar, said he was going to verify the incident when this major security breach occurred within the jurisdiction of the Zamfara State police command, however emphasised that NYSC’S management was pragmatic and quick enough to roll out strategies and for the key management staff from Abuja to have travelled to the scene of this crime to work strenuously to secure the quickest release of these innocent young Nigerians who were on their way to the camp of the NYSC in Zamfara State devastated by prolonged insecurity.

The group said: The good news is that NYSC’S management is not asleep but has acted swiftly by activating effective, efficient and result oriented mechanisms to ensure that the youngsters who were abducted by the armed bandits are freed without any physical harm to their persons.

“Nigerians must pray and support the NYSC’S management in these troubling times as they navigate through the thorny waters of general insecurity to keep the most important unifying institution which is the NYSC running at full steam.”

Adding: “Definitely, we know that NYSC’s management are working for the welfare, wellbeing and security of Corpers all over Nigeria, especially with the heightened state of insecurity and instability that has enveloped a large chunk of the geopolitical of Nigeria.”

HURIWA gathered from reliable sources that the victims were kidnapped on Saturday while traveling from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to Sokoto en route to Zamfara State.

Also, the head of NYSC and his key officials were already on ground working with relevant authorities and institutions towards ensuring that no substantial harm comes to these prospective corpers.

HURIWA said: “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.

“It was gathered that the family of one of the victims, Betty Udofia, was reached and that the kidnappers are demanding N4 million ransom.”

HURIWA through its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko said: “We must stress that kidnappings have become a very troubling criminal phenomenon across the country which calls for elaborate, watertight and effective proactive security measures and hard core intelligence gathering capacity on the part of the Police and other security services including the Department of State Services to smoke out the agents of insecurity even before they inflict devastating damage on Nigerians.”

HURIWA said it was aware that the management of NYSC has over the past few months, made concerted security arrangements with all the relevant security formations in the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory to provide near-fool proof security cover around the camps of the NYSC.

The Rights group in the statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Onwubiko, expressed optimism that the efforts geared towards securing the abducted corps members’ released in the shortest possible time would be actualised just as it called on the bandits to show their humane side by releasing these innocent corpers who were in Zamfara from far and wide to provide essential and critical services to the people of the state.