The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has raised the alarm over the reported abduction of about 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), demanding their immediate and safe rescue.
Obi, in a statement shared on his official social media page on Sunday, said the reported incident had further heightened concerns over the safety of Nigerians travelling across the country.
The former Anambra State governor said the victims were young Nigerians travelling to their orientation camp to begin their national service when they were reportedly abducted.
He warned that Nigerians should not become accustomed to kidnapping and other security threats as an unavoidable part of daily life.
“The abduction of approximately 20 prospective NYSC members travelling to their orientation camp is yet another distressing indication of the worsening insecurity in our country,” Obi said.
According to him, the reported incident was particularly disturbing because the victims were travelling to undertake national service.
“These young Nigerians were preparing to serve their nation, but they were unable to travel safely on our roads. Families are increasingly burdened by the fear that their loved ones could fall victim to kidnapping,” he added.
Obi said the development had also deepened the anxiety of families whose relatives travel across the country for employment, education and other national assignments.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate stressed that the protection of lives and property remained a fundamental responsibility of government.
He urged security agencies to strengthen their preventive operations and respond swiftly to threats instead of waiting until Nigerians had already fallen victim to attacks.
“Protecting lives and property is the government’s foremost responsibility. We cannot continue to regard insecurity as an ordinary occurrence or act only after people’s lives have been disrupted,” Obi said.
He specifically called for the immediate rescue of the reported victims and the arrest of those responsible for the abduction.
“I call for the immediate and safe rescue of all the abducted corps members and the arrest of those responsible. Nigeria must become a country where young people can travel, work, and serve their nation without fear,” he said.
The reported incident has renewed concerns over the safety of travellers on Nigerian roads, particularly young Nigerians travelling to unfamiliar locations for national assignments.
The NYSC scheme, established in 1973, was introduced partly to promote national integration by deploying Nigerian graduates to states outside their states of origin for one year of national service.
With recurring reports of kidnapping and attacks along major highways, concerns over the security of corps members and other travellers continue to feature prominently in public discourse.
