Rofiat Lawal, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who was abducted along the Benin-Ore Expressway, has shared her harrowing experience, revealing that her captors threatened to force her into marriage and relocate her to Sokoto if her family failed to pay a ransom.
She also disclosed that one of the kidnappers took her NYSC uniform and wore it.
Promptnews reported thy Rofiat was traveling to her place of primary assignment in Oyo State from Edo when she was taken.
The abductors initially demanded N20 million but later reduced the amount to N5 million after negotiations.
A friend, identified as Agbakwara, raised the alarm about her abduction on Facebook and later confirmed her release after her family paid N1.1 million to an account allegedly belonging to another victim’s family.
Kidnapping Incident
Recounting the ordeal, Rofiat said the kidnappers ambushed the vehicle she was in near Ore and abducted six out of the ten passengers.
“They fired gunshots, and when I looked up, I saw three armed men in front of the vehicle and three at the back. The driver tried to escape but couldn’t. They forced us to the ground, picked six of us, and led us into the bush,” she explained.
The abductors searched them, seized their money and mobile phones, and took her NYSC uniform.
“There were traders among us, and they collected all their money—some had between N600,000 and N1.2 million. I only had N15,000, which they took as well. One of them wore my NYSC uniform,” she added.
On the first day, they were forced to trek for seven hours, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., before being allowed to rest.
Ransom Negotiation and Threats
While other victims, mostly older individuals and traders, were frequently beaten, Rofiat was spared from severe assault. However, one of the abductors threatened to marry her.
“He said if my family didn’t pay the ransom, he would take me to Sokoto and make me his wife. Unlike the older victims, I wasn’t physically assaulted as much. They didn’t even realize I was a corps member; their only focus was getting money from us,” she said.
The ransom amounts varied among victims, with some families reportedly paying between N2 million and N3 million.
Harsh Conditions in Captivity
The kidnappers had prepared for their operation and brought a limited food supply.
“They carried a cooler filled with garri, which they gave us occasionally. It was clear this wasn’t their first time doing this,” she stated.
Request for Recovery Time
Following her release, Rofiat called on NYSC authorities to allow her some time to rest and receive medical care due to the traumatic experience.
“The State Coordinator and my Local Government Inspector have checked on me. I just hope they allow me time to recover before resuming my duties,” she said.
Despite the ordeal, she maintained that she had no regrets about serving in the NYSC program.
“This could have happened to anyone, not just corps members. I’m just grateful my family was able to secure my freedom,” she concluded.