Rep. Unyime said that the abduction of corps members threatens the lives of young Nigerians and erodes public confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens.
The House of Representatives has called on 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 also mandated its Committee on National Security and Intelligence to ensure compliance and report back within one week for further legislative action.
The call was contained in a motion sponsored by Rep. Unyime Idem (Akwa Ibom, PDP) and eight other members on Tuesday.
Rep. Unyime 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.
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He recalled 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 two hundred million Naira.
The lawmaker also recalled 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
He stated that these incidents account for many other corps members, who have had to go through the traumatic experience of abduction.
He further 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 lawmaker therefore called for the urgent need for drastic measures to secure the immediate release of the remaining seven abducted corps members and restore confidence in the nation’s national security system.
