Gunmen who abducted 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their orientation camps have demanded a total ransom of N950 million for their release.
The victims were reportedly travelling in two buses when the armed men ambushed them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, on Thursday.
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, who confirmed the incident, said the abductors had contacted some of the victims’ families and demanded N50million for each person.
The victims, who were travelling in vehicles operated by his company, were prospective corps members deployed to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The ransom demand has heightened anxiety among the victims’ families as security operatives intensify efforts to locate the abducted passengers and secure their release.
Recounting how the incident occurred, Akpan said the two buses departed from Bodija/Samonda Park in Ibadan on Wednesday but were delayed by heavy traffic around Benin City, Edo State.
According to him, the vehicles eventually arrived in Onitsha, Anambra State, late that day but could not proceed with the journey because of the condition of the road.
The drivers and passengers were consequently forced to spend the night in Oba, Anambra State, before resuming their journey at about 5am on Thursday.
Akpan said the buses had barely entered Imo State when the gunmen emerged from a nearby bush and blocked their movement.
“They blocked the two vehicles and took 19 passengers, all corps members, into the bush,” he said.
The managing director explained that the drivers managed to escape from the attackers and immediately alerted security operatives at a nearby checkpoint.
The report said the police and military subsequently launched a search operation in the area to locate the abducted prospective corps members and rescue them.
However, Akpan disclosed that the operation was initially hampered when some villagers allegedly prevented security operatives from removing the abandoned buses from the scene of the attack.
The abduction comes amid persistent concerns over insecurity along major highways in Nigeria, where travellers have continued to face attacks, kidnappings and ransom demands by armed criminal groups.
The affected families are awaiting the safe return of their relatives as security agencies continue efforts to rescue the 19 prospective corps members.
