The reported abduction of 19 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps in Imo State has prompted fresh demands for urgent security action to rescue the victims and strengthen protection for young Nigerians traveling for national service.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to deploy available intelligence and specialist resources to locate the abducted travelers and secure their safe release.
The victims were reported to be prospective corps members traveling in connection with the national service programme when they were abducted.
HURIWA said their rescue should be treated as an urgent security priority.
The incident has renewed concerns about the risks faced by prospective corps members who are frequently required to travel long distances across unfamiliar parts of the country to reach orientation camps.
For many participants, deployment can involve journeys across several states and through areas affected by kidnapping, banditry and other forms of violent crime.
The rights organization believes the government has a responsibility to provide adequate security for young Nigerians required to undertake such journeys as part of a compulsory national programme.
The incident also raises wider questions about how the NYSC and security agencies assess travel risks and communicate security information to prospective corps members heading to their deployment states.
HURIWA called for the use of available intelligence, operational resources and specialized security capabilities in efforts to locate the victims.
The material available for this report does not provide verified details about the identity of those responsible for the abduction, their demands or the condition of the victims.
Xposure News is therefore not attributing responsibility for the incident to any individual or group without confirmation from the appropriate authorities.
The immediate priority remains the safe recovery of the abducted prospective corps members and other affected travelers.
