Families of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from Oyo State have been thrown into panic after kidnappers reportedly demanded a combined N50 million ransom for each of their victims abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.
The victims were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom States when gunmen attacked two buses in the Umunoha area of Imo State on Thursday.
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, whose company operates the buses, confirmed the development.
According to Akpan, the kidnappers contacted some of the victims’ families and demanded ₦50 million for each abducted passenger.
The development has heightened fears among relatives, who are anxiously awaiting the safe return of their loved ones as security agencies intensify efforts to locate the victims.
Akpan said the two buses departed Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday but were delayed by heavy traffic around Benin, Edo State.
He said the buses eventually arrived in Onitsha, Anambra State, late that day.
However, due to the condition of the road, the drivers and passengers decided to spend the night in Oba before continuing their journey the following morning.
According to him, the buses resumed the journey from Oba at about 5 a.m. on Thursday.
Akpan said the vehicles had barely entered Imo State when gunmen emerged from the bush, blocked the buses and forced 19 passengers into the bush.
“They blocked the two vehicles and took 19 passengers, all corps members, into the bush,” Akpan said.
He said the drivers escaped and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint, prompting police and military personnel to commence a search for the abductors.
Akpan, however, said the operation was initially delayed after some villagers allegedly prevented security personnel from moving the abandoned buses from the scene.
The buses were eventually left at the location, with some of the passengers’ belongings scattered inside.
Less than 24 hours after the incident, the Imo State Police Command said that 10 victims had been rescued.
Credit: channelstv.com
