Bandits Abduct Eight NYSC Members in Zamfara State En Route to Mandatory Service

A group of suspected bandits has perpetrated a brazen abduction, targeting eight members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were traveling along a highway in Zamfara State. The victims, who were on their way from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State to participate in the mandatory national service, fell prey to the gunmen’s ambush on Saturday.

According to a source within the transport company involved, the NYSC members were traveling in an AKTC bus when they were intercepted by the armed assailants. Although the corps members initially numbered 11, three managed to escape the clutches of the attackers. The bus driver was also abducted along with the eight corps members.

The source, requesting anonymity due to a lack of authorization to speak on the incident, revealed that the corps members had embarked on their journey from Uyo on Friday. They spent the night in Abuja before continuing towards Sokoto, where they were kidnapped en route to their destination.

Following the attack, authorities and security agencies have been notified of the incident. A Facebook post by Malachy Blessed identified one of the abducted corps members as Emmanuel Esudue, a graduate of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering from Akwa Ibom State University. Another victim, Betty Udofia, was also named by a separate Facebook user, Edidiong Richard. Richard stated that the kidnappers had contacted Udofia’s parents, demanding a ransom of N4 million.

While efforts have been made to contact law enforcement and NYSC representatives for official statements, the police spokesperson in Zamfara, Yazid Abubakar, expressed intentions to verify the incident. Similarly, the NYSC spokesperson, Eddy Megwa, remained unavailable for comment at the time of this report.

The unfortunate incident underscores the security challenges faced by travelers in certain regions of Nigeria and highlights the importance of strengthening efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of citizens, particularly those embarking on vital national activities such as the NYSC program.