Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Federal Government to urgently deploy full intelligence, military and specialist security capabilities to rescue 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other travellers reportedly abducted in Imo State.
HURIWA said the reported discovery of the kidnappers’ forest hideout, as well as claims that the camp has been surrounded by improvised explosive devices, should make the rescue operation an urgent national security priority.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, on Sunday, the association urged the Federal Government not to allow the reported presence of explosive devices in the area to result in prolonged delay in rescuing the victims.
HURIWA called on the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services and Nigerian Air Force to establish a unified rescue command and deploy personnel with expertise in hostage rescue, explosive ordnance disposal, intelligence gathering and jungle operations.
The association also demanded continuous aerial surveillance and ground intelligence around the reported hideout to prevent the kidnappers from relocating the victims or harming them.
HURIWA urged security forces to establish a secure perimeter around the area, block possible escape routes and use all lawful means to isolate the kidnappers while creating a safe corridor for the recovery of the hostages.
It also called for the deployment of bomb-disposal experts and appropriate armoured equipment to neutralise the reported explosive threats around the camp before any ground assault.
The rights group, however, stressed that the safety of the hostages must remain the overriding consideration throughout the operation, warning against any reckless action that could endanger the abducted corps members.
HURIWA further called on security agencies to provide regular and credible updates to the victims’ families and establish a dedicated liaison structure through which relatives could receive verified information on the rescue operation.
Beyond securing the release of the victims, the association urged the Federal Government to deploy intelligence-led measures to identify and apprehend the kidnappers and their collaborators.
It said those responsible for the abduction should be tracked, arrested and prosecuted after the victims had been safely recovered.
HURIWA also called for immediate medical, psychological and welfare support for the victims following their rescue, particularly because of the trauma associated with prolonged captivity.
The association said the latest incident should not be treated as an isolated kidnapping case, noting that security incidents involving corps members had persisted since 2015 and intensified since 2023.
According to HURIWA, the situation raises concerns about the safety of the NYSC scheme, which requires young Nigerians to travel across the country for compulsory national service.
The association therefore renewed its call for a comprehensive review of the NYSC scheme, including the possibility of suspending it for one year to enable the Federal Government to develop what it described as a credible and sustainable security framework.
HURIWA, however, stressed that the immediate priority remained the lives of the corps members and other victims currently in captivity.
“The association demands that the Federal Government and security agencies treat the rescue of the abducted corps members as an emergency operation and do everything within their lawful powers to bring them home safely,” it said.
HURIWA added that “every minute matters in a hostage situation” and urged the authorities to act with urgency, coordination and determination.
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