Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have urged relevant authorities to take immediate action to secure the release of a prospective corps member, Miss Lateefah Binuyo, who was abducted in Kogi State on January 22.
Binuyo, a graduate of Mass Communication from Kwara State Polytechnic, was reportedly travelling to Taraba State for the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, orientation programme when she was kidnapped. She is said to be the only child of her mother.
The call for urgent intervention followed a motion of urgent public importance raised during Thursday’s plenary by the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Mrs Omolara Olumegbon.
Presenting the motion, Olumegbon disclosed that the abductors had demanded a ransom of N30 million for Binuyo’s release. She urged the Assembly to formally write to the Federal Government, calling for enhanced security arrangements for prospective corps members travelling to their states of deployment.
She further appealed to the House to engage Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene by liaising with the Kogi State Government to ensure the safe and speedy rescue of the victim.
Contributing to the debate, the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Noheem Adams, commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as sustained efforts to improve security across the country. He noted that the current security framework had shown noticeable improvement when compared with previous administrations.
Also speaking, Mr Stephen Ogundipe praised the Nigerian military for its continued role in safeguarding national security and echoed calls for the Lagos State Government to engage its Kogi counterpart to facilitate urgent action.
In his contribution, Mr Abiodun Tobun suggested that the Assembly, through the National Assembly, should write to the Director-General of the NYSC to review existing deployment procedures. He stressed the need to reconsider the posting of prospective corps members to distant or high-risk areas in order to reduce exposure to unnecessary dangers.
Addressing the House, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa described the incident as deeply troubling, noting that at a time when some individuals were reluctant to pursue education, it was painful that young Nigerians who had completed their studies and were ready to serve the nation were being exposed to threats such as kidnapping.
Obasa emphasised the responsibility of the NYSC leadership to ensure the safety and security of corps members, from the point of departure to their places of deployment and eventual return to their families.
The Speaker added that while he was confident that the Sanwo-Olu-led administration had already taken steps to address the situation, efforts should be intensified through direct engagement with the Kogi State Government, as suggested by members of the House.
He also disclosed that the Assembly would write to the Inspector-General of Police, urging immediate intervention in the case and the implementation of measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
