The abductors of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have demanded a total ransom of N1 billion and reportedly issued a 24-hour deadline for payment.
The affected parents disclosed the demand on 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.
The prospective corps members were reportedly abducted on Thursday after gunmen attacked two buses conveying them from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.
According to the parents, the kidnappers have been contacting them through the mobile phones of some of the abducted victims and demanding N50 million for each person.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande said the abductors had threatened to harm the victims if the ransom demand was not met.
“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 families appealed to the Olubadan and security authorities to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and safe release of the victims.
Responding, Ladoja assured the families that efforts were being made to rescue the prospective corps members unharmed.
“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 over the incident.
“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,” he said.
Meanwhile, security agencies have intensified efforts to locate and rescue the abducted corps members.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, disclosed on Saturday that security operatives had located the suspected kidnappers’ camp through the use of drones.
However, he said the planned operation had been delayed following intelligence that the camp might have been planted with improvised explosive devices.
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.
