Kidnappers of NYSC members give families 24-hour ultimatum to pay N1bn ransom

The kidnappers of about 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from Oyo State have given their families 24 hours to pay N1 billion ransom for their release.

The abductors reportedly demanded N50 million for each victim and threatened to harm them if the money was not paid within the deadline.

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Families disclosed this when they visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his residence in Bodija, Ibadan, alongside the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.

The victims were abducted on Thursday after gunmen reportedly intercepted two buses carrying them to NYSC orientation camps in the South-East.

The incident occurred around Umunoha on the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.

Speaking on behalf of the families, Alhaja Alimot Akande and Oyebola Michael Akande said the kidnappers had been contacting them through the mobile phones of the abducted corps members.

“They have been calling us since yesterday with a demand for N50 million ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed their request,” they said.

The parents appealed to the Olubadan and the police to intervene, saying they could not raise the amount demanded.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, and two commissioners of police to Imo State to coordinate the rescue operation.

The Imo State Police Command also said additional tactical personnel and operational equipment had been deployed to areas suspected to be hideouts of the kidnappers.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police said he had been in contact with his Imo counterpart since the incident occurred, adding that efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims unharmed.

The Olubadan assured the families that security agencies were working to secure the release of their children safely.