Bombs Block Rescue of 19 Kidnapped NYSC Recruits, Police Say

Mon Oct 05 2026 15:34:55 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Nigerian police locate a camp holding 19 National Youth Service Corps recruits but fear explosives may block the rescue. The incident highlights the growing kidnapping crisis affecting young Nigerians.

Police Commissioner Audu Bosso announced that drones had located a camp holding 19 NYSC recruits abducted in Imo state, yet the area is suspected of being mined with improvised explosive devices. The 50 million‑naira ransom demanded by the kidnappers has left families, including father Omotosho Adewale, desperate, as he has not eaten in three days. Authorities are preparing bulldozers and armoured vehicles for a rescue operation, but the risk of IEDs prevents immediate intervention. The case underscores Nigeria’s escalating kidnapping problem and fuels calls for changes in NYSC deployment policies.

Bombs Block Rescue of 19 Kidnapped NYSC Recruits, Police Say

Police Commissioner Audu Bosso confirmed that drones had pinpointed a camp where 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps members were held after being abducted last week near Umunoha in Imo state, but the site is believed to be mined with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 50 million naira ($37,680; £28,440), a sum that many families, including father Omotosho Adewale whose child was taken, could not afford. Adewale told reporters he had not eaten in three days and pleaded for government help.

With the camp’s exact location undisclosed, police are preparing bulldozers and armoured vehicles for a potential rescue, but the presence of suspected bombs makes immediate action risky.

Kidnappings for ransom are a major security issue in Nigeria, involving both criminal gangs and armed groups. Although mass abductions are more common in the north, this incident in southeastern Nigeria has raised alarm and reignited calls for reforms to the NYSC’s deployment strategy, especially in high‑risk areas.

The most recent abduction also highlights the dilemma families face when paying ransoms is illegal but often seen as the only route to securing a loved one’s release.