By Ademola Ade
The kidnappers holding nine members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and their driver hostage along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan road have increased their ransom demand to N25 million, giving the victims’ families a 24-hour deadline to secure their release.
The 10 travellers were abducted on Tuesday evening while travelling towards Ibadan, triggering desperate appeals from their families, who say they cannot afford the ransom and are calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene urgently.
One of the victims, identified as Dapo, was reportedly returning to Ibadan after completing his national service in Edo State last week.
His sister, Abigeal, who raised the alarm over the incident, said the family had been thrown into distress after losing contact with him, only to discover that he and nine other occupants of the vehicle had been taken into captivity.
According to her, Dapo had been updating the family about his journey until he sent a video showing the traffic situation on the road. The video turned out to be his last communication with them.
She said the family learnt of the abduction shortly after 7pm on Tuesday when one of the corps members travelling in the vehicle reportedly escaped and contacted another member of the family.
She said, “On Tuesday, my brother was on his way back from Edo. He was posted to Edo State for NYSC and did his passing-out ceremony last week. So, he was on his way back to Ibadan.
“He was still giving us updates about his journey. At some point, he posted that there was traffic. I have the videos on my phone. That was the last time we heard from him.
“Not until around past 7pm, when one of the corps members escaped. I don’t know how he escaped.
“I also spoke to that guy yesterday. He was the one who told another brother of mine that their bus was attacked and they had been kidnapped, my brother and nine other people.”
Abigeal said police officers and local vigilantes launched a search operation in the forest shortly after the incident, but the effort had yet to produce any breakthrough.
She explained that the family visited the Ijebu-Ode Police Station on Wednesday to report the incident and obtain information about the whereabouts of the victims.
According to her, the police initially asked the family to remain calm, assuring them that their personnel were still searching the forest. However, the operatives reportedly returned less than an hour later without any information about the abducted travellers.
She said the family was subsequently advised to await contact from the kidnappers.
However, while returning from the police station to the motor park, the abductors reportedly called the family using Dapo’s mobile phone.
Abigeal said they immediately returned to the police station, where they heard her brother’s voice before the kidnappers took over the conversation and demanded N20 million.
She said the family pleaded with the abductors to reduce the amount, but the call was abruptly terminated.
The kidnappers reportedly called again at about 6.59pm on Wednesday, increasing their demand to N25 million and warning that the ransom must be paid by Thursday.
Recounting the conversation, she said: “They used his phone to call us. We ran back to the police station. We just heard his voice. He said, ‘Hello, Mummy’. We asked what was happening, but they collected the phone from him. The kidnappers said they were demanding N20 million. We were still trying to beg them when they ended the call.
“The phone was switched off again until around 6.59pm, when they called us again, requesting N25 million. We were still begging, but they said, ‘Shebi na cry you wan cry, they cry, they go’. They ended the call and said the deadline was today (Thursday),” she said.
The victim’s sister disclosed that several of the abducted persons were corps members, adding that some of their families had also taken to social media to solicit financial assistance and draw attention to the incident.
She said the family had recovered Dapo’s luggage and other belongings after the vehicle was found and taken to the police station.
According to her, the police handed over his bags to the family on Wednesday, but there was still no information about the whereabouts of her brother and the other victims.
Abigeal also expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the attack, particularly reports that the driver diverted from the main road into a bush path while attempting to navigate the traffic.
She said the corps member who escaped reportedly told the family that the driver ignored passengers’ warnings to reverse after turning into the bush.
Meanwhile, an account of the attack has also emerged from the corps member who escaped.
In a voice note, the survivor narrated how the bus was travelling towards Ibadan after passing through Ijebu-Ode when the driver suddenly turned into a bush path at about 7pm.
According to him, the passengers became apprehensive and shouted at the driver, questioning why he was taking that route. However, the driver allegedly ignored their warnings and continued driving into the forest.
The survivor said the vehicle had barely gone further into the bush when armed men emerged and launched an attack, firing repeatedly.
He alleged that one of the occupants was shot during the attack, while he escaped being taken away by hiding.
He said he later found himself in the bush after the gunmen had taken the other occupants away.
The survivor also disclosed that some of the abducted victims’ mobile phones were left inside the vehicle.
Recounting the terrifying experience, he said:
“As we were travelling, shortly after passing through Ijebu, we were heading towards Ibadan. It was around 7pm when we suddenly saw our driver turn towards the bush.
“Before we knew what was happening, we saw Fulani people coming. They attacked us and were shooting repeatedly. Right there, they shot someone, but I just hid inside.
“All I knew was that I found myself in the bush after they had taken the others away. Some of the abducted persons left their phones in the bus. It was a very tough time.”
The survivor further said police officers and vigilantes entered the forest shortly after the attack in an attempt to locate the victims.
He confirmed that nine corps members and the driver were in the vehicle, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 10.
The families have consequently appealed to the Federal Government, the Ogun and Oyo State governments, security agencies and other relevant authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.
Abigeal said the victims had already spent two nights in captivity, expressing fears over their safety as the ransom deadline approached.
She said:”We are calling on the government, the security operatives and everybody to please help us because they have been in the bush since Tuesday. They have already spent two nights with the kidnappers, and we don’t even have the N25 million to raise.
“So, there is possibly another night they will spend with them again. Please, we are asking the government to help us. We need our brother back; we need the other victims back. We need the government and security operatives to rescue them. We heard his voice, and he was crying yesterday. We need everybody to help us,” she pleaded.
As of the time of filing this report, the nine corps members and their driver were still being held captive, while their families continued to appeal for urgent government and security intervention to secure their release.
