‘We Can’t Raise N1bn’: Parents Beg Olubadan Over Abducted Corps Members

Parents of prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Imo State have appealed for help after their captors reportedly demanded N1 billion for the release of 20 victims.

The parents made the appeal during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, in Ibadan, where they were accompanied by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.

The prospective corps members had been travelling from Ibadan to their orientation camps when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.

According to the families, the abductors demanded N50 million for each victim, producing a reported total of N1 billion.

FAMILIES UNDER PRESSURE

The reported ransom has placed families under extraordinary pressure, particularly because many of the victims are young graduates whose parents cannot realistically raise such sums.

The families also said the abductors issued a 24-hour ultimatum and threatened the victims.

ValidViewNetwork reports, ransom demands in kidnapping cases are often difficult to independently verify during the early stages of an incident, particularly where information comes directly from distressed relatives.

Police have simultaneously intensified efforts to locate the victims. Imo authorities say drones have identified the suspected camp, but an alleged IED threat has delayed the rescue operation.

The Inspector-General of Police has also deployed senior officers to strengthen the operation.

A CRISIS BEYOND RANSOM

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The case has raised questions about the safety of graduates travelling to NYSC orientation camps and the security of major inter-state highways.It also highlights the devastating economic burden of kidnapping, where families are forced to make impossible choices between raising huge sums and relying on security agencies to rescue loved ones.

ValidViewNetwork reports, the immediate priority is the safe recovery of the victims. Any response must also avoid putting hostages at greater risk. Beyond this particular case, sustained investment in intelligence, highway surveillance and rapid-response capacity remains essential if kidnapping is to be contained.