Rofiat Lawal, a serving National Youth Service Corps member, has been abducted by gunmen while traveling on the notoriously dangerous Benin-Ore Expressway. Lawal, who is posted to Oyo State and serves in Ogbomosho, was returning from Benin City in Edo State when the kidnapping occurred on Tuesday.
The first alarm was raised by her close friend, identified only as Agbakwara, who shared the devastating news on Facebook yesterday.
“She managed to call and told me she was inside an Ore-bound bus when she was taken,” Agbakwara wrote in an emotional post.
“This is someone who has struggled all her life, putting herself through university by working at Dufil company in Benin.”
According to the friend, the kidnappers have demanded an astronomical sum of ₦20 million for Lawal’s release – an amount her family, described as “less privileged,” cannot possibly afford.
“We are exhausted and desperate for help!” Agbakwara pleaded, adding that she had already reported to the NYSC secretariat in Ibadan but had received little assistance so far.
When contacted, Odoba Oche, the Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, confirmed the kidnapping, saying Lawal’s parents had officially reported the abduction on Wednesday.
“We’ve alerted the National Headquarters, neighboring state NYSC offices, and security agencies for immediate action,” Oche stated. However, he claimed to be unaware of any ransom demands.
In what appeared to be a thinly veiled criticism of the victim, Oche pointed out that Lawal had traveled without informing NYSC authorities – a violation of corps guidelines.
“NYSC has repeatedly warned corps members to notify authorities before traveling and to avoid night journeys,” he emphasized.
