Kidnappers give parents of kidnapped NYSC members 24 hours to pay ransom

African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has urged for the immediate suspension and eventual abolition of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program following the abduction of prospective corps members in Imo State. In a post on X, Sowore highlighted the dangers of mandating graduates to travel across the country for national service, citing the recent attack on two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road that left young Nigerians abducted.

The victims were en route to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states from Ibadan, Oyo State. The Imo State Police Command reported rescuing some victims and ongoing efforts to locate the remaining abducted persons. Sowore, who has long criticized the NYSC since his first presidential bid in 2019, stated that the scheme has "outlived its usefulness" and should be suspended and ultimately scrapped.

In the interim, he proposed allowing corps members to serve within their states of origin. Sowore advocated for a voluntary two-year National Job Corps program focusing on employment, skills development, public works, technology, agriculture, healthcare, education, and other areas of national development. He emphasized that graduates should not be forced to travel to unfamiliar areas, especially amid national insecurity.

The incident has reignited concerns over the safety of corps members and prospective corps members traveling between states for the mandatory national service scheme.