Kidnappers of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have given victims parents 24 hours to pay a total ransom of N1billion for their release.
The corps members were abducted on Thursday by suspected armed bandits, who attacked two buses conveying them from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, Nigeria.
The NYSC scheme was introduced through a decree in 1973 by former military dictator, Yakubu Gowon, which requires fresh Nigerian graduates to mandatorily serve their fatherland for a year.
According to the families of the victims, the abductors are demanding N50 million for each of the 20 graduates, threatening to harm them if they to meet the demand within the timeframe.
The parents disclosed this 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.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande said the kidnappers had been contacting them through the mobile phones of the abducted graduates and had threatened to harm the victims if the ransom was not paid.
“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 pleaded.
They appealed to the Olubadan and the police commissioner to urgently intervene and ensure the safe and immediate release of their children, expressing fears over the threats issued by the abductors.
The Olubadan however assured the parents that security agencies are working to rescue the victims unharmed, urging them to remain calm as efforts continued.
“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,” Ladoja said.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’ Police Chief, IGP Olatunji Disu, had deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation and strengthen efforts to secure the victims’ release.
The abduction has once again raised fresh concerns over the safety of travellers on Nigerian roads and renewed calls to scrap the NYSC scheme.