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Parents of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo state say they have been given 24 hours to pay a N1 billion ransom for their children’s release.
According to PUNCH, the parents spoke on Saturday during a visit to Oba Rashidi Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
On October 1, gunmen waylaid two buses carrying NYSC members and other passengers in Umunoha, along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway in Imo.
The Imo police command said it recovered the two buses and rescued 10 people at the scene of the incident, adding that 20 people remained in captivity.
The parents said the abductors demanded N50 million for each victim, amounting to N1 billion.
Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande, speaking on behalf of the affected families, said the kidnappers had been contacting them through the mobile phones of the abducted prospective corps members.
“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) with a demand for N50m ransom each,” they said.
“They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed 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 to Ladoja and the police commissioner to intervene and secure their children’s immediate release.
Tunji Disu, inspector-general of police (IGP), had deployed Shehu Nadada, deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations, to coordinate efforts to rescue the corps members.
Anietie Iniedu, force spokesperson, said Nadada had arrived in Imo with two commissioners of police and conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the operation.
He said the DIG reviewed the deployment of personnel and operational assets and issued directives to strengthen the coordinated response.
