Lately, graduates preparing to serve the nation through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have had one major concern, insecurity. The fear of getting posted to a state known for insecurity and a high rate of kidnapping.
The issue may not affect graduates whose parents or sponsors can afford to book flights for them to attend the three-week orientation camp and possibly remain in the state for the duration of their service.
However, the increase in kidnappings has made road travel a risky test for prospective corps members. Some journeys take one or two days to reach the orientation camp, where prospective corps members must complete their registration and other important activities. 
If more graduates could afford flight tickets instead of travelling by road, there is a high possibility that some of the kidnappings involving prospective corps members on their way to camp might not have happened.
Serving the nation should bring delight and joy to graduates. It should mark the accomplishment and success of years of hard work that took them from being students to becoming graduates and then corps members.
When Serving the Nation Comes With a Ransom Demand
Families have paid ransoms and members of the public have contributed money to secure the release of corps members held captive by kidnappers.
As NBG Africa reported in August, a corps member, Chisom Sandra Sunday, was abducted by gunmen while travelling from her orientation camp in Niger State to Abuja.
Chisom Sandra Sunday sister, Chidimma, described how the attack occurred after Chisom finished her orientation camp. She was returning to Abuja to spend a few days before reporting to her Place of Primary Assignment in Niger State.
According to Chidimma, gunmen attacked the vehicle conveying Chisom and other corps members while they travelled to Abuja. The driver died during the attack. The abductors took Chisom and the other corps members into the bush.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦35 million for Chisom’s release and gave the family a 24-hour ultimatum to pay.
READ ALSO: Why Nigeria Should Scrap NYSC Due to Rising Insecurity
20 Prospective NYSC Members Become Kidnapping Targets
Recent kidnapping incidents occurred as Nigeria celebrated its 66th Independence anniversary on October 1. Gunmen kidnapped 20 prospective corps members travelling to their NYSC orientation camps to serve the country.
The kidnappers initially demanded N50 million from each victim’s family, but they later reduced the amount to N5 million per victim. With 20 prospective corps members in captivity, the new demand brings the total ransom from N1 billion to N100 million.
The gunmen attacked two buses conveying the prospective corps members along Umunoha on the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State. They travelled from Ibadan to their assigned NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
One of the victims’ parents, Alhaja Alimot Akande, said the victims remained in captivity while the kidnappers continued to brutalise them.
Should NYSC Continue Despite the Kidnappings?
Arguments have emerged over whether the NYSC scheme should continue because of the rate at which kidnappers target and abduct corps members.
According to corps members interviewed by NBG Africa, one of the main reasons graduates serve the country involves employment requirements. Major companies often request NYSC certificates before they employ graduates, while some universities in Nigeria require graduates to complete their service year before they can begin a Master’s degree.
The government currently pays N77,000 to corps members for serving the nation, yet kidnappers demand millions of naira to release abducted corps members and prospective corps members.
When Kidnapping Becomes Normal
It is sad that Nigerians now hear about the kidnapping of corps members without the same shock that such incidents once caused. The country has recorded kidnappings for years, and repeated attacks have made the abduction of corps members seem almost normal.
Of the prospective corps members kidnapped on October 1, only one had been released by the time this story was published because her relatives managed to raise funds from members of the public.
The kidnappings have affected the victims and their families emotionally and mentally. Prospective corps members now pray and fast in the hope that the NYSC will not post them to states in Northern Nigeria.
This reality has affected how many graduates view national service. What should represent a proud moment after years of education now comes with fear of travelling, fear of being posted to certain states and, for some families, the frightening possibility of raising millions of naira to secure the release of a graduate who simply wanted to serve the country.
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