Kidnappers issue 24-hour ultimatum to Oyo corps members’ parents to pay ransom

Parents of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted while travelling to orientation camps have said the kidnappers gave them 24 hours to pay N1 billion ransom.

The victims were travelling from Ibadan to their camps when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, on Thursday.

According to PUNCH, the abductors demanded N50 million for each victim and have contacted families through the victims’ phones.

“They have been calling us since yesterday (Friday) with a demand for N50m ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed to their request,” the parents said.

Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, assured the families that police were working to rescue the victims unharmed.

Police said security operatives had located the suspected kidnappers’ camp using drones, but a raid was delayed after intelligence indicated that improvised explosive devices had been planted at the site during the rescue operation.