Bombs Block Rescue: Nigerian Police Fail to Free 19 Kidnapped NYSC Cadets

By Makuochi Okafor, BBC Africa, Lagos

Nigerian police claim they have located a camp where 19 National Youth Service Corps recruits are being held after a bus ambush last week in Imo state, but the presence of suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has stalled a rescue attempt.

Police Commissioner Audu Bosso told reporters that drones had pinpointed the hideout, which was unlabeled for security reasons. He added that the site is “mined with IEDs,” preventing police and military forces from entering without risking mass casualties.

The recruits were traveling from Ibadan to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom when gunmen attacked their bus near Umunoha in Imo state. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 50 million naira (about US$37,680), a sum the families could not afford.

Father Omotosho Adewale, who watches his son at risk, recounted his ordeal: “There’s no peace of mind. I’ve not eaten in three days.” He appealed to the government for assistance, citing months of fear and sleeplessness.

Bulldozers and armoured vehicles are on standby as police prepare for a potential storming of the camp. Meanwhile, officials say they have yet to identify the gang or link the kidnapping to any known group.

The abduction, which has drawn international attention to a region rarely hit by mass kidnappings, has reignited calls for reforms in the NYSC’s deployment strategy. The program has previously avoided sending corps members to areas deemed high-risk because of violence, but the current incident shows that even low‑risk zones can become dangerous.

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