Parents of prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted while travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have pleaded with security authorities to secure the immediate release of their children after the kidnappers demanded N1bn ransom.
The parents said the abductors had given them 24 hours to raise the money, demanding N50m for each of the 20 prospective corps members they said were kidnapped.
The families made the emotional appeal 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 travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camps on Thursday when gunmen attacked the two buses conveying them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande said the abductors had been contacting them through the mobile phones of some of the kidnapped corps members.
“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) with a demand of N50m ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed to their request,” the parents said.
The families said the ransom demand was beyond their means and appealed to the Olubadan and security authorities to intervene before the deadline given by the kidnappers expired.
“There is no way we can raise such an amount at this period. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children,” they pleaded.
The ransom demand was also confirmed by the Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, whose company operated one of the buses involved in the incident.
The attack has triggered a coordinated search-and-rescue operation by security agencies in Imo State.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, said on Saturday that security operatives had located the suspected camp where the remaining victims were being held using drones.
However, the planned raid was delayed after intelligence indicated that the area had been planted with improvised explosive devices.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the rescue operation.
The Oyo Commissioner of Police, Abimbola, said he had also been in contact with his Imo 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.
Abimbola did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid.
Responding to the parents, Ladoja assured them 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,” he said.
The number of victims has been reported differently by various sources. While the families referred to 20 prospective corps members, security accounts have indicated that 20 people were abducted from the two buses, with 10 others rescued.
The families are now appealing for urgent intervention as security agencies work to reach the suspected hideout and secure the safe release of those still in captivity.
