A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Rofiat Lawal, who was abducted along the Benin-Ore Expressway while traveling to her Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) in Oyo State, was reportedly handed over to kidnappers by the driver of the vehicle she boarded. This revelation was made by her sister, Aminat Lawal, in an exclusive interview with reporters on Thursday.
According to Aminat, her sister narrated how the driver deliberately stopped at a location in Ore where the kidnappers, suspected to be of Fulani origin, emerged from a nearby bush and took her and other passengers hostage before the driver sped off. The abductors initially demanded a ransom of N25 million, but after intense negotiations with the family, they reduced it to N5 million.
A close friend of the victim, identified as Agbakwara, had earlier raised the alarm about her abduction on social media, calling for urgent intervention. In a distressing Facebook post, he described Rofiat as a hardworking individual who had struggled to support herself through university by working at the Dufil company in Benin. He expressed frustration over the demand for a ransom her family could not afford and revealed that he had reported the case to the NYSC Secretariat in Ibadan, but there had been no response.
Speaking further, Agbakwara confirmed that Rofiat and other victims were able to contact their families under the supervision of their captors. He disclosed that the kidnapped corps member, sobbing uncontrollably, confirmed that they were all female and had been left without food since their abduction. He appealed to Nigerians for financial support, emphasizing that any amount raised could aid in securing their release.
Meanwhile, the NYSC authorities have acknowledged the incident. The Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Odoba Abel Oche, confirmed receiving a report from Rofiat’s parents but noted that she had traveled without notifying the state NYSC leadership, contrary to official guidelines. Oche stated that security agencies had been alerted and that both the Ondo and Edo State NYSC officials had been informed. However, he said he was not aware of any ransom negotiations. He reiterated the importance of corps members informing NYSC authorities before traveling and avoiding night journeys.
Attempts to obtain a reaction from the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, were unsuccessful as calls to her phone remained unanswered as of the time of filing this report.
Rofiat’s abduction adds to the rising wave of kidnappings across the country, sparking renewed concerns about the security of travelers. In the past two weeks alone, at least five individuals have been kidnapped, further highlighting the growing insecurity.
On February 17, the National President of the Afenifere Youth Council, Eniola Ojajuni, was abducted in Abuja. Similarly, four female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, were kidnapped from their campus in Benue State by unidentified gunmen.
The security situation has also been dire for NYSC members in recent months. In July 2024, some corps members from Ondo State recounted how their families were forced to pay N1 million each to secure their release from kidnappers. These victims, including four corps members and an artisan, were ambushed at Omi Alafa Village in Ifon, Ose Local Government Area, while returning home after their orientation camp in Enugu and Abia states. During that attack, the driver and a passenger seated in the front of their vehicle were shot dead.
With the continuous rise in abductions, particularly targeting travelers, security analysts and affected families have called for urgent government intervention to address the growing menace.
