The abductors of some prospective members of the of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) from Oyo State who were travelling to Imo State for their deployment have reportedly demanded N50 million for each of the 20 Corps members, with a threat that the abductees will be harmed if the families fail to obey their demands within a stipulated time frame.
The corps members who were on their way to report at different NYSC orientation camps in the Southeast and South-South were abducted alongside other passengers when they were attacked on Thursday along the Onitsha-Owerri expressway in Imo State.
The abductors of the corps members according to reports have demanded that the N50 million ranson amounting to N1 billion must be paid within 24hours or they would narm the fresh graduates.
Some of the parents of the abductees revealed the kidnappers demand of Saturday when they visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan, alongside the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.
One Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande who spoke on behalf of the traumatised parents said the kidnappers had been contacting them through the mobile phones of the abducted graduates and had threatened to harm the victims if the ransom was not paid
“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) with a demand for N50m ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed to their request.
“There is no way we can raise such an amount at this period. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children,” the parents pleaded.
The parents appealed to the Olubadan and the police commissioner to urgently intervene and ensure the safe and immediate release of their children, expressing fears over the threats issued by the abductors.
In his response, Oba Ladoja assured them that security agencies were working to rescue the victims unharmed, urging them to remain calm as efforts continued
“I want to assure that your children would be rescued unharmed. We will relate whatever information we gather to you. The Police are working round the clock to secure their rescue. Don’t worry yourself, police are up to the task, and nothing would happen to your children,” he said.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola, also disclosed that he had been in contact with his Imo State counterpart, Audu Garba Bosso, over the abduction, adding that both commands had been communicating since the incident occurred.
“I had already contacted Imo State CP. We have been talking since the day of incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt,” Abimbola said.
The police commissioner, however, did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid by the families or provide specific details of the ongoing rescue operations
The latest development comes as security agencies intensify efforts to locate and rescue the abducted graduates, with the Imo State Police Command confirming that operatives had identified the suspected kidnappers’ hideout.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Bosso, said on Saturday that security operatives had used drones to locate the suspected camp where the remaining victims were being held.
However, he disclosed that the rescue operation had been delayed by intelligence reports indicating that the camp had been planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), raising concerns over the safety of the hostages and security personnel.
“We are moving in there with high-velocity vehicles. We are moving with bulldozers and APCs to see how we are going to rescue these victims,” the Imo CP disclosed.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has also deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation and strengthen efforts to secure the victims’ release
The abduction has raised fresh concerns over the safety of travellers on major highways in the South-East, particularly as the prospective corps members were travelling to begin their mandatory one-year national service when they were seized.