The parents of the prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted while travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have said the kidnappers gave them 24 hours to raise the ransom for the victims’ release.
The affected parents disclosed this on Saturday during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan.
The meeting was also attended by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.
Recall that NPO reported that the abductees 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 the Umunoha area of Imo State.
The abductors demanded N50m for each of the 19 victims, bringing the total ransom demand to N95bn.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande said the kidnappers had been contacting them through the mobile phones of some of the abducted corps members.
The parents said the abductors threatened to harm the victims if the ransom was not paid within the stipulated period, while appealing to the Olubadan and security agencies to intervene.
The families said they were unable to raise the amount demanded and urged the authorities to ensure the safe release of their children.
Responding to the appeal, Ladoja assured the families that efforts were being made to rescue the victims safely.
He said the police were working round the clock and promised that relevant information gathered during the rescue efforts would be communicated to the families.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, also said he had been in contact with his Imo State counterpart regarding the incident.
Recall that NPO reported that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, revealed security operatives had located the suspected camp where the victims were being held using drones.
However, he said the rescue operation had been delayed after intelligence indicated that the camp had 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.
