Demands review of long-distance NYSC postings
By Adeola Badru
IBADAN — The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has raised concern over alleged ransom demands of up to ₦50 million for some prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted while travelling from Ibadan to their orientation camps.
The association also called on the Federal Government to review compulsory long-distance postings and introduce safer deployment and transportation arrangements for prospective corps members.
The demand followed the attack on two buses conveying prospective corps members and other passengers along the Owerri-Onitsha Road near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The Imo State Police Command confirmed that the buses were travelling from Ibadan to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, when they were attacked by suspected armed men.
The police said 10 victims were rescued and both buses recovered, while the exact number of persons abducted was still being verified as security agencies continued search-and-rescue operations.
In a statement jointly signed on Friday by NANS Southwest Zone D Coordinator, Adeyemo Josiah; General Secretary, Ojetola Babatunde; and Public Relations Officer, Olugbemi Timothy, the association described the incident as a serious security concern requiring urgent government action.
NANS said information available to its leadership indicated that graduates from institutions in the South-West, including the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, and Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, were among those affected.
The association expressed concern that the victims were travelling to comply with the compulsory national service programme, arguing that the government should take greater responsibility for the safety of graduates required to travel long distances for the programme.
“A country cannot summon its youths and abandon their security,” the association said.
On the alleged ransom demands, NANS said it had received reports and seen fundraising appeals suggesting that as much as ₦50 million was being demanded for each victim.
It, however, urged security agencies and NYSC authorities to verify the reports and establish direct communication with the affected families before any conclusion was reached on the amounts allegedly being demanded.
“If confirmed, it would be completely unacceptable for families whose children were kidnapped while travelling for national service to be left to crowd-fund tens of millions of naira to secure their freedom,” the association said.
NANS also called for the immediate implementation of the risk-sensitive deployment framework approved by the Federal Executive Council in June 2026 as part of comprehensive reforms of the NYSC.
The reforms approved by the FEC include a technology-driven call-up process, risk-sensitive deployment to improve the safety of corps members, a redesigned six-week orientation programme, skills-based primary assignments and improved orientation camp standards.
The association argued that the latest incident underscored the need to move from policy approval to practical implementation of the safety measures.
It also called for a review of compulsory long-distance interstate deployment and proposed state-based or zonal service options, particularly where security conditions make interstate travel difficult.
“Until Nigeria’s security situation substantially improves, the Federal Government must seriously consider state-based and zonal service options, while making long-distance interstate deployment voluntary where circumstances justify it,” NANS said.
“National integration remains important, but patriotism should never require a graduate to gamble with his or her life.”
The students’ body further demanded organised and secured transportation arrangements for prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps.
It proposed the use of accredited transport operators, designated travel corridors, vehicle-tracking systems and closer coordination between NYSC and security agencies during mobilisation periods.
NANS also urged the authorities to review deployments to remote and high-risk communities and establish stronger emergency-response mechanisms for corps members serving across the country.
The association disclosed that its Southwest leadership was reviewing more than 500 complaints and reports from students and graduates concerning the NYSC process.
According to NANS, the complaints cover issues including delayed mobilisation, omissions from Senate and Academic Board lists, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and institutional-record challenges, accreditation issues, registration and call-up difficulties, relocation, transportation, accommodation and reports concerning conditions in some orientation camps.
It said the latest abduction had added an urgent security dimension to the administrative and welfare concerns surrounding the NYSC scheme.
NANS called on the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, NYSC management and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts until all remaining abducted persons were safely recovered.
It also demanded verification of the reported ransom claims, direct official liaison with affected families and implementation of the approved risk-sensitive deployment framework.
Other demands included a review of compulsory interstate deployment, consideration of state-based and zonal service options where necessary, secured transportation for prospective corps members and attention to outstanding mobilisation and welfare complaints.
The association urged the Ministry of Youth Development, NYSC management and student representatives to convene an engagement on the security and welfare of prospective and serving corps members.
Appealing to President Bola Tinubu, NANS called for urgent intervention in the incident, saying the government should ensure the safe recovery of the victims and take steps to prevent similar incidents.
“When young Nigerians answering a compulsory Federal Government call are abducted on their way to orientation camp, while their families reportedly begin searching for enormous sums of money for their release, government cannot afford silence or delayed intervention,” it said.
The association said the incident had generated anxiety among students, graduates and affected families, urging the government to provide clear updates on rescue efforts.
NANS clarified, however, that while its Southwest leadership was responsible for raising concerns and escalating issues through the appropriate structures, any broader national decision or course of action remained the responsibility of the national leadership of the association.
Reiterating its call for a comprehensive review of the NYSC scheme, the association said the security, economic and technological circumstances facing Nigerian graduates had changed considerably since the programme was established in 1973.
“Nigeria in 2026 is not Nigeria in 1973 when NYSC was established. The country’s security realities, economy, technology and circumstances confronting graduates have changed, and NYSC must evolve accordingly,” it said.
“We will not accept kidnapping as an unavoidable price of national service. We will not accept preventable danger as patriotism, and we will not normalise administrative hardship simply because the scheme has existed for decades.”
The association expressed solidarity with the families of the affected prospective corps members and urged security agencies to sustain search-and-rescue operations until all victims were reunited with their families.
“National service must never become national endangerment,” NANS said.
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