The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, has confirmed the rescue of the final member among the eight prospective corps members kidnapped in Zamfara in August 2023.
Ahmed made this announcement during a news conference held on Friday in Abuja.
In August 2023, eight prospective corps members (PCMs) and their bus driver were abducted in Zamfara while en route from Uyo, Akwa Ibom, to Sokoto for their mandatory national service.
According to Ahmed, the last NYSC member, Solomon Bassey, was rescued on Thursday, August 23, 2024.
He credited the success of the rescue mission to the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police, the State Security Service (SSS), and traditional rulers. “The operation began with the rescue of the first group of corps members,” Ahmed stated.
He outlined the sequence of rescues as follows:
- On August 30, 2023, the first PCM, Esudue Emmanuel, was rescued.
- On October 20, 2023, Victoria Udoka was freed.
- On December 7, 2023, Abigail Sandy and Sabina Ika were rescued.
- On February 3, 2024, Oyo-Obong Udofia and the bus driver were rescued.
- On February 8, 2024, Daniel Bassey was freed.
- On June 9, 2024, Glory Thomas was rescued.
- Finally, on August 23, 2024, the last PCM, Solomon Bassey, regained his freedom.
Ahmed emphasized that no ransom was paid for the release of any of the corps members. “Contrary to media reports, no state government contributed financially to their rescue. I can affirm that I have not received any funds from any state government for this purpose,” he clarified.
He expressed deep gratitude to God, the security agencies, and the Nigerian public for their support and faith during the ordeal.
Regarding the kidnappers, Ahmed stated that the culprits had been killed, and no arrests had been made to his knowledge.
Two of the rescued corps members shared their experiences. Esudue Emmanuel from Akwa Ibom described the ordeal as traumatic and expressed his gratitude to God, the Nigerian Army, and the NYSC for his release. “I am also thankful to the media for their support and efforts in ensuring our rescue,” he added.
Victoria Udoka, also from Akwa Ibom, echoed her appreciation for the NYSC leadership and the Nigerian Army’s role in securing their freedom.
Eddy Megwa, the retiring NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, noted that the rescue of the last kidnapped PCM marked the highlight of his career as he retired from public service on Friday. He recounted the challenges faced during the mission, emphasizing the determination of the NYSC to ensure the safe return of all the abducted corps members.
“We went through a lot to ensure that the operations for their release were smooth and successful. We thank God that all of them are alive and well. We are grateful for the prayers of all Nigerians, the diligent work of the media, and the unwavering faith of the parents who trusted the Nigerian government and the military to bring their children home,” Megwa concluded.