Families seek help after kidnappers demand ransom for abducted corps members

Families of prospective National Youth Service Corps members from Oyo State have appealed for help after gunmen attacked two buses in Imo State and abducted passengers travelling to orientation camps. The buses were travelling from Ibadan to Abia and Akwa Ibom when they were stopped in the Umunoha area along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on Thursday. Isiah Akpan, managing director of the bus company, said 19 passengers, all corps members, were forced into the bush.

Akpan said the buses had left Ibadan on Wednesday but were delayed by traffic near Benin. They reached Onitsha late that day, and the drivers and passengers spent the night in Oba because of the road conditions. The journey resumed at about 5 a.m.

the following morning. He said the drivers escaped and alerted security personnel at a nearby checkpoint. Police and military personnel then began searching for the abductors, although Akpan said the operation was initially delayed after villagers allegedly prevented security personnel from moving the buses.

The Imo State Police Command said less than 24 hours later that 10 victims had been rescued. However, the source material said it remained unclear whether those rescued were among the corps members taken from the buses. Akpan said some families had received demands for N50 million for each abducted passenger.

Parents told Channels Television they were unable to meet the demands and urged the state and federal governments to secure their children’s release. One mother said her daughter and other victims were briefly shown during a video call, sitting on the ground and crying. The Oyo State Government condemned the abduction and promised to work with relevant agencies.

Police spokesman Henry Okoye said security agencies were conducting a coordinated operation to rescue those still missing.