‘Pay or risk their lives’ — Kidnappers give Oyo corps members’ parents 24 hours

Kidnappers holding 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Imo State have demanded N1bn ransom and given the victims’ parents 24 hours to pay.

The victims’ parents disclosed this on Saturday when they visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his residence in Bodija, Ibadan.

The parents were accompanied by 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 two buses conveying them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.

The abductors reportedly demanded N50m for each victim, 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 using the mobile phones of some of the kidnapped victims.

“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 appealed.

They urged Ladoja and the police commissioner to intervene and ensure the immediate and safe release of their children.

Responding, Ladoja 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 Oyo Commissioner of Police said he had 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,” Abimbola said.

He did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid or provide details of the ongoing rescue operation.

The development comes as security agencies intensify efforts to locate and rescue the abducted prospective corps members.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, said security operatives had located the suspected kidnappers’ hideout using drones.

However, Bosso said the rescue operation had been delayed by intelligence indicating that the area was planted with improvised explosive devices.

Meanwhile, 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 search-and-rescue operation.