By Stephen Simon
Kidnappers holding 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have reduced their ransom demand from N1 billion to N100 million, even as relatives alleged that the captives were being subjected to severe beatings.
The victims were abducted last Thursday while travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. The kidnappers initially demanded N50 million for each of the 20 victims but have now reduced the amount to N5 million per person.
The reduction has done little to ease the anxiety of the families, who said the abducted graduates remained in captivity and were being brutalised by their captors. One of the relatives, Alimot Akande, reportedly said the victims, including female corps members, had been beaten since Friday.
There are also conflicting accounts over the number of people still being held. The Imo State Police Command earlier said 10 victims were rescued at the scene after the two buses were recovered, while security agencies continued efforts to establish the exact number of people abducted and locate those still missing.
The latest reports indicate that the Army, Police and other security agencies are combing parts of the Imo forest in an effort to locate the abductors and rescue the remaining victims. The Oyo State Government has also been engaging Imo authorities and security agencies over the release of the abducted prospective corps members, most of whom are from Oyo State.
The incident has generated growing public anger because the victims were young Nigerians travelling to begin their compulsory national service when they were attacked. Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has also condemned the abduction and called on the Federal and Imo State governments to urgently secure the release of those still in captivity.
The development has again raised questions about the safety of major highways in the South-East and the vulnerability of young Nigerians travelling to NYSC orientation camps. It has also renewed calls for stronger intelligence-led operations and better protection for travellers along known kidnapping corridors.
