Parents of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members abducted while travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have disclosed that their kidnappers gave them 24 hours to raise N1bn ransom for their release.
The parents made the disclosure on Saturday when they visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan.
They were accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.
The 20 graduates were travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps on Thursday when gunmen reportedly attacked the two buses conveying them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.
The kidnappers were said to have demanded N50m for each of the victims, bringing the total ransom to N1bn.
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, had confirmed the ransom demand on Friday.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande said the abductors had been contacting them through the mobile phones of the kidnapped prospective corps members.
“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 said.
They appealed to Ladoja and the police commissioner to intervene and ensure the immediate and safe release of their children.
Ladoja, in his response, assured the families that efforts were being made to rescue the victims 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 state Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, said 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 the incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt,” he said.
Abimbola, however, did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid or reveal details of the ongoing rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, security agencies have intensified operations to locate and rescue the abducted prospective corps members.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, said on Saturday that security operatives had used drones to locate the suspected camp where the remaining victims were being held.
He, however, said the operation had been delayed following intelligence indicating that improvised explosive devices had been planted around the camp.
