Bombs block rescue of kidnapped youths, Nigerian police say
Police Commissioner Audu Bosso said drones located the camp where 19 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) recruits were held after a bus was attacked near Umunoha in Imo state, but the site is believed to be mined with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), halting a rescue.
The kidnappers demanded a 50 million‑naira ransom ($37,680). Omotosho Adewale, whose son was among the abducted, said he has not eaten for three days and appealed to the government for help.
The recruits were travelling from Ibadan in the southwest to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom when gunmen seized them. NYSC posts fresh graduates nationwide to foster unity, yet this incident highlights the peril along such routes.
While authorities have not linked the abduction to a named group, separatist organisations like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been linked to earlier attacks in the southeast. The NYSC now warns that high‑risk areas will be avoided, but this case shows lower‑risk zones can become deadly.
Bulldozers and armoured vehicles are being prepared for a potential rescue, though police caution families against paying ransoms, noting legal and security risks. The incident underscores Nigeria's growing kidnapping crisis and the urgent need for reforms to safeguard young citizens on their national service journey.
