The 20 prospective NYSC members abducted in Imo State are reportedly being beaten by their captors, including the female victims, as the kidnappers reduced the ransom from N50 million to N5 million per person.
Alhaja Alimot Akande, whose 25-year-old sister, Kehinde, is among the victims, said the abductees had been beaten since Saturday.
“It is “horrible, scary and overwhelming,” she said, while urging the government to rescue them.
“They are still demanding N5 million. They have come down to N5 million each,” Akande said, confirming it was for all 20 victims. She said she did not know how much other families had raised.
“Sir, we appeal to the government to please assist us in getting them rescued out of that place. When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them since yesterday,” she said.
Asked about the women, she added: “They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them.”
She said one victim was allowed to speak with his father while kidnappers monitored the calls to assess the family’s ability to pay.
“The police are telling us to still be buying time. We are still looking for the money. Depending, they will see them rescued,” she said.
Meanwhile, Oyo State said it was working with Imo and security agencies to free the graduates. Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the state was using lessons from the Oriire kidnapping.
“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 on the matter.”
Oyelade said sensitive details would not be disclosed, but urged the Federal Government and Commander-in-Chief to explain the national security response within 72 hours.
He also recalled Governor Seyi Makinde’s intervention over Borno students abducted the same day as the Oriire victims.
“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.
The graduates were seized on Thursday while travelling from Ibadan in two buses to NYSC camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom. Gunmen attacked them along Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo.
The parents said the kidnappers first demanded N50 million each, or N1 billion, with a 24-hour deadline.
They sought help from Olubadan Oba Rashidi Ladoja at his Bodija residence, accompanied by Oyo Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Abimbola and 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 to 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.”
Ladoja assured them: “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.”
Abimbola said he had remained 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,” Abimbola said.
