By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The House of Representatives has ordered the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and other security agencies to intensify efforts and deploy personnel and intelligence capabilities to secure the immediate and safe release of the seven abducted corps members still in captivity.
The House mandated the Committee on National Security and Intelligence to ensure compliance and report back within one week for further legislative action.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion titled, “Call on the Inspector-General of Police (IGF) to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and safe release of the seven abducted corps members in Zamfara State.”
The motion was co-sponsored by Unyime Idem, Emmanuel Ukpongudo, Okpolupm Etteh, Paul Ekpo, Ime Bassey Okon, Clement Jimbo, Martins Esin, Patrick Umoh, Mark Esset and Uduak Odudoh.
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The House disclosed that on 17 August 2023, eight corps members from Akwa Ibom State were abducted by gunmen in Zamfara State, on their way to the place of primary assignment (PPA) with a current demand of N200m.
The Parliament added that it was cognizant of the urgent need for drastic measures to secure the immediate release of the remaining seven abducted corps members following the release of one of them, as confirmed by the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on 20 September 2023 and restore confidence in the nation’s national security system.
The House said it was aware that in May 2023, seven corps members were kidnapped in Rivers State on their way from the orientation camp in Ondo State and released after paying ransom.
The House was alarmed at the incident accounts for the many other corps members who have had to go through the traumatic experience of abduction in the course of their service to the nation.
It worried that continuous re-occurrence targeted at innocent corps members has raised significant security concerns, threatened the lives of young citizens, eroded public trust and confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens, and posed the potential to mar the core objective of the National Youth Service Corps.
The House noted that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a vital national programme aimed at fostering unity and promoting national development by deploying graduates to various States for a mandatory one-year of service.
