Kidnappers who abducted five youth corps members travelling along Ifon/ Owo road on Friday evening have demanded a sum of N15m ransom, threatening to kill the victims if the families failed to pay the ransom.
The kidnappers were said to have contacted the families of the victims over the weekend, demanding N30m per victim but reduced the random to N15m after negotiations.
A relative of one of the victims who spoke with our correspondent, Lawal Happiness, explained that the abductors reduced the ransom to N1m from N30m per victim on Saturday night, but suddenly demanded N3 million ransom to be paid for each of the victims.
He said, “My name is Lawal Happiness, a brother to the corper member kidnapped on her way back from Enugu Camp to Akure, whose name is Adewole Paul Oluwaseun, an indigene of Akure and a graduate of the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).
” Alongside four other corp members Oluwadara Feranmi (f), Andrew Patience (f), Oribamise Taiwo (f), and Ajayi Lekan (m),.
“After they were done with their NYSC orientation programme, they reported to their PPA accordingly in order to come home to get her stuff for proper resumption.
“They embarked on this journey on July 18, 2024, and left Enugu State at 9 a.m. We monitored her movement to Onitsha, where their bus was slightly delayed, and they later continued their journey to Akure.
“That was around 3pm on 18th July 2024. They left Onitsha around 3 p.m., got to Asaba around 5 p.m., and got to Ifon by 10:15 p.m. After that, we couldn’t get connected to them.
“On July 19, 2024, at 7:45 a.m., we got a call from the kidnappers telling us she had been kidnapped and asking for a ransom of N30 million per head. We have reported to different security agencies but without any positive results.
“As of 7pm on July 19, they reduced it to N3 million per head, and we have been pleading for help. At 3:00 p.m. on July 20, 2024, the kidnapper agreed to N1 million per head, but as of 1pm on July 21, 2024, they said N3 million again and if we fail to provide the ransom before 9 p.m. on July 21, 2024, they will call us to inform us where we will see their corpse.”
It will be recalled that the gunmen abducted the victims along the Ifon-Owo highway while coming from Enugu State, where they had undergone the mandatory orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Meanwhile, a youth group based in the state, Ondo State Youth Network (OSYN), has expressed concerns over the spate of kidnapping activities, appealing to the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to give priority to the security of lives and property.
They specifically noted that the Ifon area of the state has become a kidnappers’ den while security operatives have failed to arrest those behind the criminal activities in the area.
In a statement issued by the OSYN Coordinator, Ezekiel Afe, who stated, “We demand immediate action from the state and federal governments to address this crisis.
“The deployment of a joint task force comprising the Nigerian Police Force’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Amotekun Corps, and the Nigerian Army is essential.
“Additionally, investing in technological solutions such as surveillance drones will provide a modern approach to combating these crimes.
“We urge Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his administration to prioritise the safety and security of Ondo State. The lack of government intervention has left communities like Ifon vulnerable and desperate.
“The implementation of a special security committee dedicated to resolving this issue is crucial. The government must ensure the immediate release of all kidnapped individuals and take decisive steps to prevent future incidents.
The OSYN Public Relations Officer, Christopher Olusa, who signed the statement, stated that “failure to meet these demands will compel OSYN to mobilise our members and collaborate with other youth organisations for a sustained protest until the government takes the necessary action. We cannot stand by while our people suffer.”
However, efforts to contact the police spokesperson in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami, over the situation were unsuccessful as calls made to her phone were not returned.
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