20 Abducted Oyo Prospective Corps Members Beaten As Kidnappers Reduce Ransom To N5m Each

The 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Imo State have allegedly been assaulted by their captors, with families raising fresh alarm as the deadline given by the kidnappers approaches.

One of the victims’ relatives, Alhaja Alimot Akande, whose 25-year-old sister Kehinde Akande is among those abducted, said the victims have been beaten since Saturday. She described the situation as “horrible, scary and overwhelming.”

Akande said the kidnappers have reduced their demand from N50 million per victim to N5 million each.

“They are still demanding N5 million. They have come down to N5 million each,” she said.

Asked if the N5 million is per victim, she said: “Yes.”

She said she could not confirm how much has been raised, as she was not privy to discussions among other families.

“I cannot say because I do not know how much they have told those people that they have,” she said.

Akande said her sister told her the assault started on Saturday and that no victim was spared.

“When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them since yesterday. They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them,” she said.

She added that one of the abducted graduates was allowed to speak with his father under supervision, which she believes was to assess the family’s capacity to pay. She said the police had asked families to buy time while efforts continue.

“The police are telling us to still be buying time. We are still looking for the money,” she said.

Oyo Govt Engages Imo, Security Agencies

The Oyo State Government said it is in contact with the Imo State Government and security agencies to secure the victims’ release.

Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the state is drawing on its experience from the recent abduction of students and teachers in Oriire LGA.

“We are in close contacts at government-to-government level and actively with the security apparatus in Oyo and Imo states,” he said.

“We are volunteering our template and experiences garnered during the Oriire kidnapping, and the report of the Judicial Inquiry just submitted last week by the Hon. Justice (Professor) Mojeed Owoade Panel is coming in handy in our bilateral discussions.”

He said government would not disclose all operational details due to the sensitivity of the rescue efforts.

“Governments all over the world are not in the habit of disclosing all they are planning in delicate situations like this,” he said.

Oyelade added that the Federal Government should account for the national security response 72 hours after the incident, and recalled Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent appeal for expedited action on the abduction of students in Borno State, which occurred same day as the Oriire incident.

“Oyo State Government had not and will not abandon its citizens. We will continue to work endlessly and desperately to secure the release of our children,” he said.

How They Were Abducted

The victims were abducted on Thursday while travelling from Ibadan to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom in two buses.

The buses were attacked along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.

The families had earlier raised alarm that the kidnappers demanded N50 million per victim – N1 billion in total – with a 24-hour ultimatum.

The parents subsequently sought the intervention of 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.

“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) 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,” the parents said.

“There is no way we can raise such an amount at this period. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children.”

Responding, Ladoja assured them of rescue efforts: “I want to assure that your children would be rescued unharmed. We will relate whatever information we gather to you.”

CP Abimbola also said he has been in contact with his Imo counterpart: “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.”