After being in captivity for one week, the seven members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were kidnapped on their way from the NYSC orientation camp in Ondo State to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have regained their freedom. The kidnapped corps members were abducted by armed men along the Rumuji axis of the East-West Road in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to a family member of one of the kidnapped corps members who disclosed the incident on a popular radio station in Port Harcourt, 12 NYSC members were initially abducted. However, five of them escaped from their abductors, while the remaining seven were held captive.
On Wednesday, a man who claimed that his sister-in-law was among those kidnapped informed newsmen that, after the payment of a ransom, the seven kidnapped corps members were released at around 9 pm on Sunday evening in Choba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
He disclosed that the corps members were in a horrible condition, with their bodies appearing to have been bitten by mosquitoes or sand-flies in the bush. Furthermore, he stated that they all went to report themselves at the police station, where they were able to retrieve their belongings.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, stated that the Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, had ordered more deployment to rescue the corps members and expressed optimism that the police were on top of the situation.
Nonetheless, when contacted, the state police image maker confirmed the release of the corps members but expressed ignorance on the payment of any ransom.
has obtained the news of the release of the corps members in Rivers State, and an official statement from the command is expected on Thursday.
