Kidnapped NYSC Corps Plead for Jobs After Traumatic Ordeal

The graduates from Akwa Ibom State, who were kidnapped last year in Zamfara while travelling to their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) assignment in Sokoto State, have appealed to the federal and state governments for employment assistance to help them recover from the trauma they experienced.

 

Eight former corps members, along with their bus driver, were abducted on August 17, 2023, in an ambush on the Zamfara highway. Their captivity, marked by torture, starvation, and constant fear, lasted for months, with the final victim, Solomon Daniel, being released after more than a year in captivity.

 

The survivors on Thursday in Uyo recounted ongoing health issues and post-traumatic stress resulting from their time in captivity.

 

Solomon Daniel, who endured the longest period of captivity, shared his traumatic experience.

He explained that he was isolated from his fellow captives after refusing to pay a ransom, as his widowed mother was unable to afford the amount demanded by the kidnappers.

Daniel explained “I went through hell. “I survived by chewing leaves and drinking filthy water. I never knew if I would make it out alive.”

 

“I was tortured daily from morning till evening. For three months, I couldn’t defecate or urinate. I thought death was inevitable,” said Dani, who was labelled the most stubborn’ by his captors.

 

He recounted how he was transported by motorcycle from Zamfara to Kaduna via bush paths, constantly guarded by more than 10 armed men until he was eventually rescued by security operatives.

 

Victoria Bassey, another victim, also narrated her experience, saying

“I never imagined I would survive such horrendous conditions. Even during our menstrual periods, we couldn’t bathe. We were forced to drink flood water to stay alive.”

 

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Also, Etim Bassey described how the kidnappers, dressed in military uniforms, set up a fake checkpoint in Zamfara, where their bus was stopped and captured.

 

He said, “We thought it was a real checkpoint, as the area was blocked with logs and manned by armed men in military attire, who then forced us into the forest.”

 

The corps members expressed heartfelt appreciation to everyone involved in their release and appealed for employment opportunities and additional support from the state and federal governments to assist in their recovery.

 

They specifically thanked President Bola Tinubu, NYSC Director-General Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, the security forces, and all Nigerians who played a role in securing their freedom.

 

 

The founder and president of the Open Forum Care for Humanity Foundation, Matthew Koffi Okono, who organised the forum for them to share their stories, echoed their plea for job opportunities and urged the government to support their post-traumatic healing process.

 

He also called for reforms in the NYSC scheme, stating, “The Federal Government should concentrate on making the NYSC program more development-orientated and safer to enhance its value in nation-building.”

 

 

 

 

 

Content Credit| Igbakuma Rita Doom

Picture Credit | https://dailytrust.com/ex-nysc-members-recount-abduction-experience/