Distraught parents currently facing emotional trauma over the kidnap of their daughter, Abasifreke Joseph, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member from Utu Abak community in Abak local government area of Akwa Ibom State, have cried out for intervention from governments, corporate organisations and other well meaning Nigerians, to come to her aid.
“Abasifreke, is passing through serious trauma, compounded by other unknown ailments after spending several days with armed – wielding and heavily masked strangers in the forest,” the family said.
LEADERSHIP gathered, Miss. Joseph, cleared and mobilised for the compulsory national service, was kidnapped on January 9, 2025, along Enugu-Kogi road, while returning from Akwa-Ibom, to her place of primary assignment in Kogi State.
Abasifreke, who is a 2024 Batch C1 Corps member serving in Kogi State, the family explained, was a pioneer degree student of the State College of Education (CoE), Afaha Nsit, in Nsit Ibom LGA, following its affiliation to the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State.
The kidnapped victim, who was eventually released after the family had paid heavy ransom to secure her release, is lying critically ill and helpless at the General Hospital, Ukpom Abak, as the parents complained that virtually all their savings had been given to the bandits as ransom to secure her freedom, so there is no money for proper medical attention.
Speaking with journalists by the bedside of the victim after securing her sister’s freedom from the dungeon of the kidnappers in the thick Kogi forest, her elder brother, Victor Joseph, who spoke on behalf of the family, explained that he had to take her immediately to the hospital for check-up.
“The family had borrowed so much and even sold the only landed property to secure her release, and nothing is left to take care of her to recover from the trauma in this hospital.
“We are making a passionate appeal to governments at all levels and other good spirited members of the public to come to the aid of the family to give her proper medical attention,” he lamented.