Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A prospective member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who was among 20 corps members abducted in Imo State, has recounted how her captors beat and threatened the victims and forced them to survive on dry garri and muddy water during their captivity in a forest.
The survivor, whose identity was not disclosed, gave the account in an interview with the BBC after the victims regained their freedom following seven days in captivity.
She said the kidnappers controlled their telephone conversations with family members and subjected them to beatings whenever they heard statements they disliked during the calls.
“We are given a phone to call our family,” she said, explaining that the captors monitored the conversations and punished victims over what their relatives said.
According to her, the abductors used their hands and objects to assault the captives, with male victims reportedly suffering frequent physical attacks.
The survivor also described the poor conditions in which they were held, saying the kidnappers provided them with little food and unsafe drinking water.
“What we are eating there is just garri. Like Igbo garri, dry garri with mud water. Very dirty water,” she said.
She added that the captives had little choice but to consume what was available to survive.
Recounting the circumstances surrounding the abduction, the prospective corps member said their journey began at about 9 a.m., with the vehicle making several stops along the way.
She explained that the driver eventually stopped at a location where continuing the journey was considered dangerous, and the passengers were advised to rest before proceeding.
The survivor said she contacted her family to inform them that they would spend the night at a public place. However, she later woke up in the hands of the kidnappers and could not explain how she and the other passengers had been taken into the forest.
Describing the emotional impact of the experience, she said she initially struggled to understand what was happening and found herself unable to process the reality of being held captive.
“It felt like it was a movie,” she said, describing her disbelief at the situation.
The survivor credited security personnel, particularly operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), with helping secure their release.
The 20 prospective corps members and another passenger were abducted on October 1, 2026, when gunmen attacked two buses travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha Road near Umunoha in Imo State.
The victims were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when the incident occurred.
Their abduction triggered a security operation involving the police, DSS and military personnel. Authorities subsequently located the area where the victims were being held, while security sources said the operation required careful planning because of the risks involved.
The victims regained their freedom on October 7 following a coordinated operation by security agencies. They were taken to a DSS medical facility in Owerri for medical attention and further checks.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the rescued prospective corps members following their release.
The survivor’s account has drawn renewed attention to the security risks faced by young Nigerians travelling across states to attend NYSC orientation camps and the conditions endured by kidnapping victims.
Investigations into the abduction and efforts to address insecurity along the route remain important as the rescued victims recover from their ordeal.
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