prospective corp members

Kidnappers who abducted 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have demanded ₦1 billion for their release. The parents of the victims disclosed this on Saturday 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 20 graduates 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 Umunoha, Imo State. According to the parents, the abductors have been contacting them through the phones of the victims and demanded ₦50 million for each person, amounting to ₦1 billion. “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. The families appealed to the Olubadan and the police to intervene and secure the immediate release of the victims. Responding, Ladoja assured the parents that efforts were underway to rescue the victims safely. “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,” he said. Similarly, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police said he had contacted his Imo State counterpart over the incident and was assured that the victims would be rescued unharmed. “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,” Abimbola said. The police did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid or provide further details about the ongoing rescue operation.