20 Abducted NYSC Members Allegedly Tortured as Kidnappers Demand ₦5m Each

Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) abducted in Imo State are allegedly being subjected to physical assault by their captors as the deadline for payment of ransom approaches.

The abductors have reportedly reduced their demand from ₦50 million to ₦5 million for each of the 20 victims.

The prospective corps members were abducted last Thursday while travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The vehicles conveying the graduates were reportedly attacked by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.

The abduction sparked concern among the families of the victims, particularly after the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim, amounting to ₦1 billion, and reportedly issued a 24-hour ultimatum for payment.

The affected parents had earlier sought the intervention of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, during a visit to his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan. They were accompanied by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.

‘Our children are being tortured’

One of the affected parents, Alhaja Alimot Akande, said the abductors had subjected the victims to physical assault since Sunday.

Akande, whose 25-year-old sister, Kehinde Akande, is among those abducted, said the kidnappers had reduced their demand to ₦5 million per victim.

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

Asked whether the demand was for each of the 20 victims, she replied, “Yes.”

Akande said she could not confirm how much had been raised by the families, explaining that she was not aware of the individual arrangements between the kidnappers and other parents.

Describing the situation, she said it had been “horrible, scary and overwhelming.”

She said the situation became more distressing after she spoke with her sister and learnt that the abductors had started beating the victims.

“We appeal to the government to please assist us in getting them rescued from that place. When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them yesterday (Sunday),” she said.

Asked whether the female victims were also being assaulted, Akande said the abductors were allegedly showing no restraint.

“They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them,” she said.

She further disclosed that one of the abducted prospective corps members had been allowed to speak with his father, but alleged that the kidnappers were monitoring the family’s ability to raise the ransom through the calls.

According to her, the abductors would alert the victim whenever his father called and allow him to speak because they believed the father could raise the ransom.

She said the victim was also allegedly beaten alongside the other abductees.

Akande said the families had been relying on assurances from the police while continuing efforts to raise the ransom.

“The police are telling us to still buy time. We are still looking for the money. Depending on it, they will see them rescued,” she said.

Parents accuse transport company

The affected parents also accused the transport company that conveyed the graduates from Ibadan of allegedly withholding information that could help them contact the relatives of other passengers.

The parents said they visited Eduak King Transport Company in the Samonda area of Ibadan to obtain the next-of-kin details of passengers aboard the affected vehicles but alleged that the company declined to provide the information.

Mrs Iyabo Akande, whose daughter Kehinde is among the abducted graduates, called on the Inspector-General of Police and the government to investigate the transport operator.

She said the company should be held accountable if found to have violated any relevant obligations.

“Our government and the Inspector-General of Police should help us investigate the transport company, Eduak King, located at the Samonda area of the state and call them to order,” she said.

“We were at their office yesterday morning (Sunday morning) asking for the next of kin list so we could contact other parents, but they refused to present it or assist us. The company’s driver, Jeremiah, took our children. They must be held accountable.”

Another parent, Olawale Olaleye, said the families were concerned to see the company continuing its operations despite the abduction.

“We went to Samonda, to Eduak King. Surprisingly, they were already loading another vehicle. People are complaining; the company should be held liable,” he said.

When the premises were visited, other transport operators were reportedly carrying out their normal activities, while the premises of Eduak King were locked and no official was available to respond to the allegations.

Oyo Government says it is working with Imo

The Oyo State Government said it was maintaining contact with its Imo State counterpart and security agencies as efforts continued to secure the release of the abducted graduates.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said Oyo State was actively involved despite the abduction occurring outside its territory.

According to him, the government was drawing on its experience from the recent abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area in its engagement with authorities in Imo State.

“We are in close contact at government-to-government level and actively working with the security apparatus in Oyo and Imo states,” Oyelade 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 Justice Mojeed Owoade Panel is coming in handy in our bilateral discussions on the matter.”

The commissioner said the government would not disclose all details of its strategy because of the sensitive nature of the operation.

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

However, Oyelade said the Federal Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces should explain the broader national security response to the incident.

“The pushback should be on the federal government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who are in charge of national security, on what they have done in 72 hours,” he said.

Oyelade also referenced Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent intervention regarding the abduction of students in Borno State, noting that the Borno incident occurred on the same day as the Oriire abduction.

He said Oyo State would continue to work towards securing the release of the abducted prospective corps members.

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

Imo police confirm victims remain in captivity

Meanwhile, the Imo State Police Command confirmed that some of the prospective corps members remained in captivity.

The command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, said the Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, had deployed tactical teams and operational assets in collaboration with other security agencies to rescue the victims and arrest the suspected abductors.

“Following a swift response by the police and other security agencies, both buses have been recovered and 10 victims were rescued at the scene,” Okoye said.

He added that the rescued victims were safe and receiving attention, while the exact number of persons abducted was still being verified.

“Operatives are conducting coordinated search and rescue operations, backed by intelligence-led tracking of the suspects,” he said.

The police spokesperson also said the affected section of the expressway had been reopened and security personnel remained deployed to protect commuters.

The development has continued to generate concern among the families of the abducted graduates, who are appealing for urgent action to secure their release.