Anguish in Oyo as Parents of Abducted Corps Members Lament Fate

… Please, bring back our children, distraught parents plead
… Police: We’re working round the clock for their rescue

Tears and anguish have gripped Ibadan following the abduction of prospective National Youth Service Corps members travelling to the eastern part of the country for their orientation programme, with the abductors reportedly demanding N50 million for each victim.

The affected parents gathered at the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Friday, expressing fear and frustration over the fate of their children and appealing to the government and security agencies to secure their safe release.

For the distraught parents and guardians, the joy of seeing their children graduate after years of academic effort, financial sacrifice and other challenges has suddenly turned into a nightmare. Their children, fresh graduates preparing to serve under the mandatory NYSC scheme, were reportedly intercepted along the highway in Imo State and taken into the bush.

The reported ransom demand of N50 million per person has further deepened the anxiety of the families, many of whom said they lacked the financial capacity to raise such an amount.

A Journey Into The Unknown

The journey, which was expected to mark the beginning of a new chapter for the young graduates, started from a motor park in Samonda, Ibadan, where the prospective corps members boarded a bus heading towards Abia State.

Deaconess Kemi Makinde, a trader whose child was among those travelling, recalled taking her child to the park early in the morning.

She said, “My name is Deaconess Makinde, I am a trader. I took my child to the car park at Samonda on Tuesday morning around 5:00 am to 9:00 am to board the bus heading for the NYSC orientation camp. We are in complete agony, praying for their safe return.”

The journey was interrupted by an overnight stop around Onitsha, Anambra State, before the vehicle reportedly resumed its trip towards the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Abia State at about 4:00 am.

According to the account given by the affected families, the bus was attacked after it reached the Owerri axis of Imo State at about 7:00 am. While some passengers reportedly escaped or were rescued during the attack, 19 prospective corps members were allegedly taken into the bush.

Among those abducted were graduates of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, including a set of twins.

For Mrs Rebecca Adewale, the incident has plunged her family into deep anguish following the abduction of her 26-year-old son, Paul Iyanuoluwa Adewale, who was travelling to Abia State for his NYSC deployment.

She said the family had made significant sacrifices to educate their son and expressed concern over the ransom demand reportedly made by the abductors.

Adewale also appealed to the authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted graduates, while questioning the practice of deploying young graduates to distant locations for the mandatory service programme.

Her husband, Omotosho Emmanuel Adewale, also recounted how the family became aware of their son’s abduction after several unanswered calls.

According to him, the silence was broken when Paul briefly called the family while apparently under the control of his captors and communicated the ransom demand before the call ended.

He appealed to the government to intervene urgently and ensure the safe return of the abducted corps members.

Ransom Demands And Desperate Payments

At the Secretariat, the distress among the affected families was evident as parents recounted their experiences since the abduction.

Engr. Olawale Olaleye, a staff member of LAUTECH whose daughter is among those abducted, said the vehicle had stopped overnight around Onitsha before continuing towards Imo State.

He said, “The vehicle took off on Friday. They slept over around Onitsha. After taking off again around 4:00 am, after reaching Owerri in Imo State, they were kidnapped. That was where we heard information about her last.”

Olaleye said the reported N50 million ransom demand had further worsened the situation, appealing to the state and federal governments to intervene.

He said, “This morning, they are already demanding N50 million! N50 million for just one head! We don’t have mouth to talk too much, but please come to our rescue. Governor Seyi Makinde, President Tinubu, please come to our rescue. Since Thursday, I have not eaten, I can’t even sleep.”

Another parent, Mrs Iyabo Akande, said her daughter, Kehinde Marufat Akande, who was travelling with her twin sister, was among those abducted.

She said the family had spoken with her daughter late at night before receiving information about the abduction the following morning.

Akande said, “My name is Mrs Iyabo Akande, I am a trader. One of my twins, Kehinde Marufat Akande, was in that Abia-bound bus that was attacked in Imo State. We spoke around 11:00 pm when she sent a video of where they were sleeping overnight. By morning around 5:00 am, they moved. The next thing we saw on our WhatsApp group at 6:17 am was a flashing alert/message from the kidnappers.”

She said the abductors later contacted her and demanded N50 million for her daughter, followed by other financial demands.

According to her, the family eventually sent N100,000 after the abductors demanded money, hoping to prevent harm to the victims.

Akande said the families could not raise the N50 million being demanded and appealed to the government to intervene.

She added that the abductors subsequently requested money to provide food for the hostages, prompting some of the families to contribute funds in the hope of securing better treatment for their children.

Mr Bafunsho Olayiwola, a psychiatric healthcare personnel at the State Hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan, also appealed for urgent intervention.

He said, “Bandits came out to kidnap them. Ten were rescued on the spot, the remaining 19 were taken inside the bush. This morning, they asked him to bring N50 million. How will I get N50 million as per the kind of job I am doing for now?

“We are imploring everybody, all well-meaning Nigerians, Governor Seyi Makinde, President Tinubu, help us rescue our children!”

Parents Raise Concerns Over Transport Company

The affected families also expressed concerns about the operations of the transport company involved in the journey, calling for an investigation into its handling of the incident.

One of the parents, Mrs Akande, urged the government and the police to investigate the company and ensure that the necessary passenger information was made available to the families.

She said, “Please, our government, please, the Inspector General of Police, the transport company Eduak King located at Samonda, please help us investigate them and put fear into them. Call them to account.

“Yesterday morning at their office, we were asking for the next of kin list so we could contact other parents, but they refused to present it or assist us. The company’s driver, Jeremiah, took our children. They must be held accountable!”

Olaleye also expressed concern after visiting the transport company’s premises at Samonda.

He said, “We went to Samonda, to Eduak King. Surprisingly, they were already loading another vehicle. People are complaining, the company should be held liable.”

When the park was visited, other transport operators were seen conducting their normal activities, while the premises of the affected company was locked and no official was available to respond to the allegations.

Police Assure Parents Of Rescue Efforts

The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retd.), addressed the affected parents at the Secretariat and assured them that efforts were being made to secure the release of the abducted prospective corps members.

Odukoya said the state government was monitoring the situation and had established security contacts with relevant authorities in Imo and Abia states, as well as military and federal intelligence agencies.

He assured the parents that efforts were being intensified to locate the abducted youths and secure their safe release, while appealing to them to remain calm and avoid actions that could jeopardise ongoing rescue efforts.

For the affected families, however, every passing hour without their children remains a source of deep anxiety as they continue to appeal to the authorities to bring the abducted prospective corps members home safely.

Their plea remains simple: bring back our children alive.

Source: The Nation