By Ade Oyeyemi
Parents of the 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Imo State have appealed to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, to help secure the safe release of their children.
The distraught parents made the appeal on Saturday when they visited Ladoja at his residence in Bodija, Ibadan, amid reports that the kidnappers had demanded N50m for each victim.
The ransom demand amounts to N1bn for the 20 abducted graduates, with the parents saying the kidnappers had threatened to harm the victims if the money was not paid within 24 hours.
The families were accompanied during the visit by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.
The prospective corps members were travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camps when gunmen attacked their vehicles along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, on Thursday.
Parents accuse transport company
Meanwhile, some of the affected parents have accused the transport company that conveyed the victims of failing to provide information that could assist the families in contacting other relatives of the abducted passengers.
One of the mothers, Mrs Iyabo Akande, whose daughter, Kehinde, was among those abducted, alleged that Eduak King Transport Company, located in Samonda, Ibadan, refused to provide the next-of-kin details of passengers on the affected vehicle.
She called on the Inspector-General of Police and the relevant authorities to investigate the company and hold anyone found culpable accountable.
“Please, our government and the Inspector-General of Police should help us investigate the transport company, Eduak King, located at Samonda, and put fear into them. Call them to order.
“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. They must be held accountable,” she said.
Another parent, Olawale Olaleye, said the families were also surprised to find the company loading another vehicle when they visited its premises to seek assistance.
“We went to Samonda, to Eduak King. Surprisingly, they were already loading another vehicle. People are complaining. The company should be held liable,” he said.
‘Don’t let them kill our children’
Speaking on behalf of the families during the visit to Ladoja, Alhaja Akande and Oyebola Akande said the abductors had been contacting them since Friday through the phones of some of the victims.
“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) with a demand for N50 million ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed their request.
“There is no way we can raise such an amount at this time. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children,” they pleaded.
The parents urged Ladoja and the police to intervene urgently, expressing fears over the safety of the victims.
Responding, Ladoja assured the families that security agencies were working to rescue the abducted graduates safely.
“I want to assure you that your children will be rescued unharmed. We will relay whatever information we gather to you. The police are working round the clock to secure their rescue. Don’t worry yourself; the police are up to the task, and nothing will happen to your children,” he said.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police also disclosed that he had remained in contact with his Imo counterpart since the incident.
“I had already contacted the Imo State CP. We have been talking since the day of the incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt,” Abimbola said.
He did not disclose whether any ransom had been paid or provide specific details of the ongoing rescue operation.
IGP deploys DIG
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
According to Iniedu, Nadada arrived in Imo with two Commissioners of Police and conducted an assessment of the scene and the ongoing rescue efforts.
The DIG also reviewed the deployment of personnel and operational resources before issuing further directives aimed at strengthening the operation.
The assessment involved the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso; the Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force and other senior security commanders.
Iniedu said the police were working with other security agencies to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” the statement quoted Nadada as saying.
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The police urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant, while appealing to anyone with credible information that could assist the rescue operation to contact the police or the nearest security formation.
The Force said information supplied by members of the public would be treated confidentially as efforts continued to secure the victims’ release.
