NYSC Member Abducted on Benin-Ore Expressway
Rofiat Lawal, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Oyo State, was abducted by unidentified gunmen along the Benin-Ore Expressway. The incident occurred on Tuesday as she was traveling from Benin City, Edo State, to Ibadan, en route to her primary assignment in Ogbomoso.
A close friend of Lawal, Agbakwara, shared the distressing news on Facebook, revealing that the abductors are demanding a N20 million ransom for her release. Agbakwara explained that Lawal managed to make a phone call during the ordeal, informing her of being taken while in a bus bound for Ore.
The friend highlighted Lawal’s struggles to support her education, working at a company in Benin City, and expressed concern over how the ransom demand could be met, given Lawal’s poor background and her family’s financial limitations.
Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Odoba Oche, confirmed the abduction and stated that security operatives had been notified for appropriate action. He also revealed that Lawal’s parents reported the incident, although they had not been aware of the ransom demand at the time of reporting.
Oche also noted that Lawal had traveled without informing the NYSC authorities, a breach of the NYSC’s travel instructions, which urge corps members to notify officials before traveling and avoid night journeys. The situation has sparked widespread concern, with appeals for help from the public to ensure Lawal’s safe release.
