Families of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are facing uncertainty after 15 graduates travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to the NYSC orientation camp in Abia State were reportedly abducted.
The travellers were said to have been attacked around Ihiala in Anambra State in the early hours of Thursday while travelling in buses operated by Udua King Transport Services.
Key Takeaways
- 15 prospective NYSC members were reportedly taken by suspected kidnappers.
- The graduates were travelling from Ibadan to the NYSC orientation camp in Abia State.
- The reported incident occurred around Ihiala, Anambra State.
- Four buses were reportedly used for the journey, with two escaping the attackers.
- 11 passengers and the drivers of the two affected buses reportedly escaped.
- The names of the 15 people listed on the transport manifest as abducted have emerged.
- One worried parent said her daughter sent a final message reading “kidnappers!” before communication stopped.
Families Await Information After Reported Abduction
The reported abduction has left relatives of the affected graduates seeking information about their whereabouts.
According to the report, anxious parents gathered at the Udua King Transport Services office in the Samonda area of Ibadan as they sought updates on the situation and efforts to secure the release of those reportedly taken.
The prospective corps members had boarded buses for their journey to the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Abia State.
Many of those travelling were reportedly graduates of the University of Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
How The Journey Reportedly Unfolded
The transport company was said to have deployed four buses to convey the prospective corps members to Abia State.
Sources who spoke with Arise TV said two of the buses managed to escape when suspected kidnappers attacked the vehicles.
The remaining two buses were reportedly stopped by the gunmen.
It was gathered that 11 passengers, together with the drivers of the two affected buses, escaped from the attackers, while 15 passengers were reportedly taken into the bush.
A representative of Udua King Transport Services, who declined to disclose his name, confirmed that the incident occurred around Ihiala in the early hours of Thursday.
Identities Of The 15 Reportedly Abducted NYSC Members
The names listed on the transport company’s manifest as those reportedly abducted are:
- Akande Kehinde
- Olaleye Mary
- Oladosu Greatness
- Obafunsho Rhoda
- Abdulrof Anifat
- Esther Oyede
- Hassan Usman
- Ayomide Isa
- Mary Makinde
- Azeez Adejoke
- Abdulrazaq Anifat
- Sarah Temilolu
- Adeoye Elizabeth
- Eniola Samuel
- Usman Temi
The names were reportedly contained in the transport company’s manifest for the journey.
Parent Describes Daughter’s Final Message
One of the worried parents, Mrs Alimot Akande, said her daughter, Kehinde Akande, a graduate of LAUTECH, was among those reportedly taken.
Akande said her daughter had boarded one of the transport company’s buses at Samonda, Ibadan, for the trip to Abia State.
According to the mother, she had been monitoring her daughter’s journey and noticed that the bus stopped in Onitsha at about 10pm on Wednesday before continuing towards Abia the following morning.
She said communication later took a disturbing turn when her daughter sent a brief message.
The message read:
“kidnappers!”
Akande said that was the last communication she received from her daughter.
She explained that the message was sent while the vehicle was travelling between Onitsha and Abia.
What Is Known About The Reported Incident
Based on the account provided, the reported incident involved four buses travelling from Ibadan towards Abia State.
Two buses reportedly escaped the attackers, while the other two were stopped.
The report states that 11 passengers and the drivers escaped, while 15 passengers were reportedly taken into the bush.
A representative of the transport company also confirmed that an incident occurred around Ihiala.
However, the supplied report does not provide further details about the identities of the suspected kidnappers, the circumstances surrounding any rescue operation, or the current status of efforts to secure the release of those reportedly abducted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many prospective NYSC members were reportedly abducted?
15 prospective NYSC members were reportedly taken by suspected kidnappers while travelling towards the NYSC orientation camp in Abia State.
Where were the graduates travelling from?
They were reportedly travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State.
Where were they going?
The graduates were travelling to the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Abia State.
Where did the reported attack happen?
The incident was reportedly recorded around Ihiala in Anambra State.
How many buses were involved?
The transport company reportedly deployed four buses for the journey.
How many people escaped?
According to the report, 11 passengers and the drivers of the two affected buses escaped after two buses managed to get away from the attackers.
Who are the reported victims?
The transport company’s manifest reportedly listed 15 passengers as having been abducted. Their names are provided in the identity section above.
What was the last message sent by Kehinde Akande?
According to her mother, Kehinde Akande sent the message “kidnappers!” while the vehicle was travelling between Onitsha and Abia. Her mother said it was the last communication she received from her.
What Readers Should Know From The Report
The immediate concern for the affected families remains the whereabouts of the 15 prospective corps members reportedly taken from the buses.
The report provides details about the journey, the buses involved, the number of passengers who escaped and the identities contained in the transport manifest.
It also provides a firsthand account from one parent whose daughter was among those reportedly abducted.
Further information about the situation, including any developments concerning the affected passengers, would be needed to establish what happened after the reported attack.
Final Report
The reported abduction of the 15 prospective NYSC members has placed their families in a difficult period of uncertainty as they seek information about their loved ones.
The available account describes an attack around Ihiala, the escape of passengers from two buses and the reported abduction of 15 others travelling towards the NYSC orientation camp in Abia State.
For the families involved, the immediate focus remains on obtaining reliable information about the reported victims and the efforts being made to determine their whereabouts.
