By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Police in Rivers State, South South Nigeria, have confirmed the abduction of a yet-to-be ascertained number of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
They were kidnapped on Tuesday night on the East-West Road while returning to the state capital, Port Harcourt from the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ondo State.
Unidentified men had hijacked the bus the corps members were travelling on along the Emohua axis of the East-West Road and whisked them to an unknown location.
The police spokesperson in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that some of the youth corps members who escaped from the attack had been rescued.
Iringe-Koko stated that tactical teams have been deployed to the area to ensure the safe release of the abducted NYSC members.
She could not disclose the number of persons who escaped and those currently with the kidnappers.
The abduction came 24 hours after the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, placed a bounty of N1 million on a 22-year-old Onuigwe Wodi, for involvement in the killing of policemen, cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery on the East-West Road.
It came at a time when the NYSC is marking 50 years since its establishment by former Nigerian leader, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.
It was established to foster unity in the multi-ethnic and multi-religious West African country and open for all graduates within the age of 30.
Several persons have in the past called for abrogation of the scheme over its perceived failure to achieve the aim for which it was set up.
