“That Government abandoned NYSC Members with kidnappers in Zamfra Forest for 5 months tells a story of a failed State”- HURIWA

Oru Leonard 

Frontline Civil Rights Advocacy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has condemned the inability and blatant failure of the Federal government to secure the release of some of the 8 mobilised National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), members kidnapped by terrorists in Zamfara on their way to NYSC camp from Akwa Ibom State since five months ago.

A release made available to News Dot Africa by the HURIWA President, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko stated in full:

“The only way to describe what is happening right now under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in which youngsters mobilised by the Nigerian State from their native state of Akwa Ibom to go to Zamfara State in the North West only to be kidnapped by terrorists and for 5 months this same Nigerian state simply forgot these youngsters in the deep forests with terrorists is to say that Nigeria is not just sick but has failed”.

“It is now a commonplace knowledge that whenever a citizen becomes a victim of organised sophisticated crime such as terrorism and kidnappings for ransom, the majority of observers of such a scenario would say that ‘Nigeria has happened’ to the person and to us in HURIWA, this phrase unfortunate as it is, represents the state of heightened insecurity in Nigeria in which government that ought to exercise the right to use controlled violence, and whose primary constitutional duty is to secure lives of the citizens, has been overwhelmed by armed non state actors”.

“That the present administration would just shut her eyes on these NYSC corpers and let their parents and kidnappers to be negotiating for ransom and to let these Nigerians stay in the lawless Zamfara forests for 5 months and yet the Inspector-General of Police who is statutorily responsible for internal security hasn’t been queried by President Tinubu shows that this government attaches no importance to the lives of commoners. This is a crime against humanity.”

Around December 4 when it barely four months after the eight graduates abducted on their way to the NYSC orientation camp in Sokoto State had yet to be released, about two of them gained freedom apparently after paying ransom but the remaining corpers have been abandoned by government of Nigeria.

The fresh graduates, it was gathered, were abducted by the gunmen on August 17, on a highway in Zamfara State.
The prospective corps members were travelling in an AKTC bus to Sokoto State for the mandatory youth service programme for Nigerian graduates. Sadly, the federal government, Akwa Ibom and Zamfara states’ governments, have failed to act so as to rescue these youngsters apparently because of the poor status of their parents back in Akwa Ibom.

But in the statement issued around the first week of last December after 4 months in captivity, the NYSC management said it had secured the release of just two of the abducted prospective corps members.

According to the publicity Director Mr. EDDY Megwa, this means that four of the eight PCMs and the driver who was kidnapped would have been released.
The statement partly read, “The Nigerian Army recently secured the release of a male and female abductees, while efforts are seriously ongoing to ensure the safe release of the remaining four Prospective Corps Members.”

It added that the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Yush’au Ahmed, “hereby reassures the public, especially the parents of the remaining four abductees that the scheme, in conjunction with security agencies, will explore every available strategy to ensure their release unhurt and reunite them with their families.

“NYSC management also wishes to appreciate the overwhelming support received from the Nigerian Army in its concerted efforts towards securing the release of the abducted prospective corps members,” Megwa added.

He, Mr. Megwa of NYSC reiterated the scheme’s dedication to fulfilling its mandate under the law to advance national unity and integration.

“HURIWA however said that in as much as the NYSC management has no control over the security of the nation, the NYSC should as a policy, stop posting corpers to all the North West states aside Kano State until the security situation improves since the Federal government is not prepared to do whatever that is required to rescue corpers when kidnapped apparently because most of these youngsters are children from poor households.

“HURIWA is also for the umpteenth time condemning the fact that heads of security institutions are not being required to be accountable and responsible for the wanton security breaches all over the country which goes to show that Nigeria is a failed state because a functional Sovereignty wouldn’t let her youngsters stay in the forests for 5 months with terrorists and yet the Inspector-General of Police has not been sanctioned by President Tinubu for his apparent gross dereliction of duty.”

Photo Credit: The Vanguard