According to the Director of Press and Public Relations for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Eddy Megwa, only Corps Members who embark on night journeys are being kidnapped.

Megwa emphasized the importance of corps members following the travel advisory issued by the NYSC.

This statement was made in response to the recent kidnapping of eight corps members who were traveling from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to Sokoto State, passing through Zamfara State for their mandatory national service.

Megwa stated that if the corps members had adhered to the NYSC’s warning against traveling after 6pm, they might not have been abducted.

However, he reassured that the NYSC is working diligently to secure the safe release of the kidnapped corps members.

Megwa also implored both prospective and current corps members to prioritize their safety by adhering to the NYSC’s guidelines, which includes avoiding night journeys.

He said, “Let not look at the NYSC as if we are living in a different world. NYSC is part of Nigerian society. You and I know the kind of security situation we have in the country, it is not selective, some students are kidnapped at a point, government officials, even young children at primary and nursery schools are kidnapped.

“So NYSC or corps members are not living in a different world, but we have made it categorically clear. We told our corps members please don’t travel in the night. In their call up letters, we stated this clearly. We said please anywhere you are, once it is 6pm cut short your trip.

“Find a park, police station, military barracks or corps lodge or anywhere you think is safe. Park and continue your journey tomorrow.

“Now this issue in question, they got to that point around 8pm and that Funtua road is very deadly. In fact all passengers the moment they get to that place by 6pm they parked but this driver continued with his trip.

“Per chance they did not travel at night, per chance they slept at a safe place at 6pm, all these issues we are talking about wouldn’t have happened. However, it has happened and it is our responsibility and responsibility of Nigerians to get ensure we get them back safe and good.

“There are security measures we put in place to make sure that such issues will not happen. When you go to our orientation camps, we have our security modalities that are put in place to ensure security bridges does not occur while in orientation camps.

“NYSC is very proactive, even before the commencement of the orientation camps we made publications in traditional media, we told them specifically please do not travel in the night, the management has done everything that they need to do.”