‘where will we get N50m?’ families panic as kidnappers demand ransom for abducted corps members
Police deploy DIG to lead rescue operation in Imo as parents await missing graduates; NANS calls for review of NYSC postings
Families of prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) abducted along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Imo State are gripped by fear and uncertainty following reports that kidnappers demanded ₦50 million for each victim, raising the potential ransom to ₦950 million.
The reported amount, based on the transport company’s account that 19 prospective corps members were abducted, has heightened the distress of parents and relatives desperately seeking the safe return of their loved ones. However, the Police had yet to conclusively establish the number of victims or confirm the total ransom demanded.
The young graduates were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom States when gunmen reportedly intercepted two buses on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
What should have been a journey towards the beginning of their National service instead became a nightmare for the affected passengers and their families, some of whom reportedly received calls from the abductors demanding millions of naira for the release of their children.
Global Mirror News reports that the incident has renewed concerns about insecurity on Nigeria’s highways and intensified calls for stronger protection for prospective corps members travelling across the Country.
‘They are just going to serve Nigeria’
The anguish of the affected families was captured in the account of Mrs Oladosu, whose daughter, Greatness, was travelling to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
According to reports, the kidnappers contacted the family through Greatness’s telephone, and relatives were able to see her and some other victims during a video call.
The sight of the young graduates sitting on the ground in the bush and crying reportedly left their families devastated, as the reality of their situation became painfully clear.
Mrs Oladosu questioned how ordinary families, particularly petty traders, could raise the enormous sum being demanded.
“Where will petty traders get ₦50m? They are just going to serve Nigeria; why this punishment?” she lamented.
Another parent, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the kidnappers contacted her through her son’s telephone and demanded ₦50 million for his release.
“The kidnappers called with my son’s phone this morning (Friday) and demanded ₦50m for his release. The ₦50m is for only my son,” she said.
The reported ransom demands have placed affected families in an agonising position, with many potentially unable to raise such sums even if they were given time.
For the parents, the immediate concern is the safety of their children and the hope that security agencies will secure their release without further harm.
A desperate message: ‘Kidnappers!’
For Mrs Alimotu Akanke, the mother of Akande Farouq, the horror reportedly began with a single word sent to the family WhatsApp group.
Akanke said she had been monitoring her son’s journey when Farouq, who was posted to Abia State, managed to send a brief message: “Kidnappers!”
His telephone line subsequently became unreachable.
The message left the family with little information about what had happened, where he was being held or whether he was safe.
As calls went unanswered and uncertainty deepened, relatives were left hoping that the brief message would not be their last contact with him.
Friends and associates of other affected graduates have also taken to social media to publicise the incident and appeal for assistance in securing their release.
How the journey ended in tragedy
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, told Global Mirror News that the two buses departed Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
According to him, traffic congestion around Benin, Edo State, delayed the journey, and the vehicles eventually reached Onitsha, Anambra State, late in the day.
Akpan said the drivers and passengers spent the night in Oba because of the late hour and prevailing road conditions.
The buses resumed their journey at about 5am on Thursday, October 1, 2026. However, shortly after entering Imo State, gunmen reportedly emerged from the surrounding bush and blocked the vehicles.
“They blocked the two vehicles and took 19 passengers, all corps members, into the bush,” Akpan said.
The drivers reportedly escaped and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint, prompting the police and military to commence search operations.
Akpan also alleged that the operation initially encountered difficulties after some villagers reportedly prevented security personnel from moving the abandoned buses from the scene, delaying efforts to pursue the suspected kidnappers.
The buses were eventually left at the scene, with passengers’ belongings reportedly scattered inside.
The transport company said its manifest listed 30 passengers across the two buses, with 15 in each vehicle. However, accounts differed on the number of people abducted, and the Police said the exact figure was still being established.
The reported figure of 19 abducted passengers therefore remains the transport company’s account, rather than a final official count.
The company also said two other vehicles travelling towards Abia State escaped the attack.
Police report rescue of 10 victims
The Imo State Police Command announced on Thursday night that 10 victims had been rescued following the attack.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, reportedly said security agencies were pursuing the abductors and conducting a coordinated search for the remaining victims.
Subsequent reports indicated that the rescued victims were receiving attention as security operatives continued efforts to locate those still missing.
However, the identities of all the rescued persons and their relationship to the prospective corps members reportedly taken from the two buses required further clarification.
The announcement of 10 rescues did not, by itself, establish that all the missing prospective corps members had been accounted for. The exact number of people still in captivity remained a matter for official confirmation.
Global Mirror News reports that security agencies are expected to establish the whereabouts of every missing passenger, secure their safe return and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Police DIG arrives in Imo to direct rescue operation
In a further response to the incident, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, arrived in Imo State on Friday, October 2, 2026, following a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
Nadada’s visit was aimed at assessing the situation and providing operational direction for the search-and-rescue mission involving the abducted prospective corps members and other passengers.
He was reportedly accompanied by the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, CP Audu Garba Bosso; the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Mobile Police Force; other service commanders; and members of the Imo State Police Command’s management team.
The Officers reportedly reviewed the circumstances surrounding the attack and the ongoing security operations.
The deployment of the Senior Police team underscores the urgency of the situation as security agencies work to locate those still missing. However, the arrival of Senior Officers should not be mistaken for confirmation that the remaining victims have been rescued.
For families waiting anxiously for news, the most important development remains confirmation that their loved ones have been found and are safe.
NANS demands review of long-distance NYSC postings
The abduction has reignited calls for a review of the arrangements under which prospective corps members travel long distances to orientation camps across Nigeria.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, reportedly raised concerns over the ransom demands and called on the Federal Government to review compulsory long-distance NYSC postings.
The Association also advocated safer deployment and transportation arrangements for prospective corps members, according to reports cited by Global Mirror News.
The incident has raised questions about the extent to which the current mobilisation process accounts for security risks along major interstate highways.
Although the NYSC scheme is designed to promote National unity by exposing graduates to communities outside their states of origin, concerns persist about the dangers participants may face while travelling across several states to report for service.
The challenge before the authorities is to protect corps members while preserving the scheme’s national integration objectives.
Oyo Government condemns abduction, promises support
The Oyo State Government has condemned the reported abduction, describing the incident as distressing and reprehensible.
The State’s Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, reportedly conveyed the Government’s position in a statement issued in Ibadan on Friday, October 2, 2026.
He said the State Government was in close communication with relevant security Agencies, the Imo State Government and the NYSC leadership to ensure an urgent and coordinated response.
According to Oyelade, Governor Seyi Makinde had directed that all necessary resources be deployed to secure the safe return of the victims.
“We are fully committed to securing the safe release of our children and will stop at nothing to ensure that they are reunited with their families without harm,” the statement read.
The Government urged affected families to remain calm while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The assurances have offered a measure of hope, but families continue to await concrete progress and reliable information about the whereabouts of their loved ones.
Friends seek help through social media
As uncertainty persists, friends and associates of some of the affected graduates have taken to social media to appeal for public support towards securing their release.
One of the victims was identified in social media appeals as Precious Oladipupo, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University. The identification had not been independently confirmed in the reports reviewed.
A user on X identified as Adebayo, with the handle @Adebayoakim1, reportedly appealed for support towards securing the release of Wahab Ayandare, whom he said was among the abducted passengers.
Another user, Akinlabi Abayomi, with the handle @Mubiiiiin, sought assistance for Oyindamola Adeoye, another reported victim.
Abayomi also claimed that ₦50 million had been demanded for her release. The claim was attributed to the social media appeal and had not been independently verified.
The appeals reflect the growing desperation of friends and associates seeking to draw attention to the victims and encourage efforts towards their rescue.
Members of the public have been urged to handle unverified information about victims, ransom negotiations and security operations carefully, as inaccurate reports could increase the distress of affected families or interfere with rescue efforts.
Recurring abductions raise concerns over corps members’ safety
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of prospective and serving corps members travelling across Nigeria.
Previous reports have documented abductions involving corps members and other travellers, although the circumstances, dates and outcomes of individual cases should be verified against their original sources before being used as direct comparisons.
A report dated August 26, 2026, reportedly stated that 15 prospective corps members travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja were abducted along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. The report said security forces subsequently rescued the victims and other abductees from Egume Forest.
Other reported cases include the abduction of Abuja-based lawyer and corps member Eunice Ameh in Maitama, Abuja, in May, and the reported abduction of corps member Musa Abba while travelling to Sokoto.
Lateefah Binuyo was also reportedly abducted in Kogi State while travelling to an orientation camp in Taraba State and regained her freedom after 10 days in captivity.
Earlier reports documented the rescue of 15 abducted corps members in Anambra State in February 2023 and the killing of a corps member during a gun battle between bandits and security operatives along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway in 2022.
A 2023 report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism reportedly documented at least 80 corps members abducted between 2013 and 2023. Separately, figures cited by Global Mirror News indicated that more than 20 corps members were killed in attacks between 2015 and 2026.
These figures come from different sources and reporting periods and should not be treated as a single independently verified dataset.
Nevertheless, the reported cases have intensified public concern about the protection available to young Nigerians participating in the national service scheme.
Experts call for stronger security and deployment reforms
Security analyst Chidi Omeje reportedly warned that criminal networks could be exploiting the predictable movement of young graduates during NYSC mobilisation and deployment periods.
He called for stronger security arrangements for prospective corps members travelling through identified kidnapping corridors.
Another security expert, Olalekan Jackson-Ojo, argued that the scheme’s national integration objective could be undermined if participants were not adequately protected.
He suggested that corps members be allowed to serve within their states or regions rather than being deployed to high-risk locations.
Educationist Dele Olapeju also called for improved protective measures, warning that recurring abductions could weaken public confidence in the scheme and encourage apprehensive parents to seek redeployment for their children.
He urged the Government to prioritise the safety of corps members and avoid deploying them to areas where risks could not be adequately managed.
The proposals have intensified debate over whether current deployment and travel arrangements sufficiently reflect Nigeria’s security realities.
Any reforms would need to balance national integration objectives with credible security assessments, safer transportation, effective emergency response and reliable communication with families.
NYSC response awaited
At the time of the reports reviewed by Global Mirror News, the NYSC Director of Public Relations, Caroline Embu, had yet to respond to enquiries concerning the incident.
Further clarification from the NYSC and security agencies is necessary to establish the final number of abducted passengers, identify those rescued, account for everyone still missing and explain any additional safeguards being considered for prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps.
The authorities also need to clarify the reported ransom demands and provide verified updates on the rescue operation without compromising the safety of the victims.
For now, families and friends remain dependent on official information as the search continues.
Behind the reported ₦950 million ransom calculation are young graduates whose families had expected to celebrate the beginning of their national service. Instead, some parents are reportedly struggling to contemplate ransom demands far beyond their financial means, while others are anxiously waiting for news that their children are alive and will return home.
The ₦950 million figure is based on the transport company’s account of 19 abducted passengers and the reported demand of ₦50 million per person. It has not been confirmed by the police as the total ransom demanded.
The incident has once again brought the human cost of insecurity into sharp focus and renewed calls for decisive action to protect Nigerians travelling on the nation’s highways.
For the affected families, the priorities remain the safe return of every missing passenger, clear communication from the authorities and accountability for those responsible.
No ransom demand can measure the value of a child’s life, and no official assurance can replace the relief of seeing a loved one return home safely.
Global Mirror News will continue to follow developments in the rescue operation as further verified information becomes available.
