Kidnappers demand N25m for nine corps members, driver abducted in Ogun

By Adeola Badru

Families of 10 travellers, including nine members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and a driver, have appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to secure their release after they were abducted along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan road in Ogun State.

The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N25 million and reportedly given the families a Thursday deadline to pay.

One of the victims, identified as Dapo, is a recently discharged corps member who completed his national service in Edo State last week. He was reportedly travelling to Ibadan when the incident occurred on Tuesday.

His sister, Abigeal, who raised the alarm, said the family had been thrown into distress following the abduction, particularly as they lacked the means to raise the demanded ransom.

According to her, the victims were travelling from Ijebu-Ode towards Ibadan when their vehicle was attacked shortly after 7pm.

She said her brother had been updating the family about his journey until he sent a video showing the traffic situation on the road, which turned out to be their last communication with him.

Abigeal said the family learnt of the abduction after one of the corps members travelling in the vehicle escaped and contacted another family member shortly after 7pm on Tuesday.

She said: “On Tuesday, my brother was on his way back from Edo. He was posted to Edo State for NYSC and did his passing-out ceremony last week. So, he was on his way back to Ibadan.

“He was still giving us updates about his journey. At some point, he posted that there was traffic. I have the videos on my phone. That was the last time we heard from him.

“Not until around past 7pm, when one of the corps members escaped. I don’t know how he escaped.

“I also spoke to that guy yesterday. He was the one who told another brother of mine that their bus was attacked and they had been kidnapped, my brother and nine other people.”

She said the family was informed that police officers and local vigilantes had launched a search operation in the forest shortly after the incident but expressed concern that the operation had yet to yield any breakthrough.

According to her, the family visited the Ijebu-Ode Police Station on Wednesday to report the incident and seek information about the victims.

She said the police initially asked them to remain calm, explaining that their personnel were still searching the forest.

However, the operatives reportedly returned less than an hour later without any information about the abducted travellers.

Abigeal said the family was subsequently advised to await contact from the kidnappers.

She said that while they were returning from the police station to the motor park, the abductors called using her brother’s mobile phone.

The family reportedly returned to the police station, where they heard Dapo’s voice before the kidnappers took over the conversation and demanded N20 million.

She said the family pleaded with the abductors to reduce the ransom, but the call was abruptly terminated.

According to her, the kidnappers called again at about 6.59pm on Wednesday, increasing their demand to N25 million and warning that the ransom must be paid by Thursday.

“They used his phone to call us. We ran back to the police station. We just heard his voice. He said, ‘Hello, Mummy’. We asked what was happening, but they collected the phone from him.

“The kidnappers said they were demanding N20 million. We were still trying to beg them when they ended the call.

“The phone was switched off again until around 6.59pm, when they called us again, requesting N25 million.

“We were still begging, but they said, ‘Shebi na cry you wan cry, they cry, they go’. They ended the call and said the deadline was today (Thursday),” she said.

The victim’s sister disclosed that several of those abducted were corps members, adding that some of their families had also taken to social media to solicit financial assistance and draw attention to the incident.

She said the family had recovered her brother’s luggage and other belongings after the vehicle was found and taken to the police station.

According to her, the police handed over Dapo’s bags to the family on Wednesday, but the whereabouts of her brother and the other victims remained unknown.

Abigeal also expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the attack, particularly reports that the driver had diverted from the main road into a bush path while attempting to navigate the traffic.

She said the corps member who escaped reportedly told the family that the driver ignored passengers’ warnings to reverse after turning into the bush.

The family appealed to the Federal Government, the Ogun and Oyo State governments, security agencies and other relevant authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.

“We are calling on the government, the security operatives and everybody to please help us because they have been in the bush since Tuesday.

“They have already spent two nights with the kidnappers, and we don’t even have the N25 million to raise.

“So, there is possibly another night they will spend with them again. Please, we are asking the government to help us. We need our brother back; we need the other victims back.

“We need the government and security operatives to rescue them. We heard his voice, and he was crying yesterday. We need everybody to help us,” she pleaded.

Meanwhile, a corps member who escaped from the attack has given an account of how the incident unfolded.

In a voice note, the survivor said the bus was travelling towards Ibadan after passing through Ijebu-Ode when the driver suddenly turned into a bush path at about 7pm.

He said the passengers became apprehensive and questioned the driver over the diversion, but he allegedly ignored their warnings and continued driving into the bush.

According to the survivor, the vehicle had barely gone further into the bush when armed men emerged and attacked the occupants, firing sporadically.

He identified the attackers as Fulani, but the identification could not be independently verified.

The survivor said one of the occupants was shot during the attack, while he escaped being taken away by hiding.

He added that he later found himself in the bush after the gunmen had taken the other occupants away.

He also disclosed that some of the victims’ mobile phones were left inside the vehicle.

He said: “As we were travelling, shortly after passing through Ijebu, we were heading towards Ibadan. It was around 7pm when we suddenly saw our driver turn towards the bush.

“Before we knew what was happening, we saw Fulani people coming. They attacked us and were shooting repeatedly. Right there, they shot someone, but I just hid inside.

“All I knew was that I found myself in the bush after they had taken the others away. Some of the abducted persons left their phones in the bus. It was a very tough time.”

The survivor further said police officers and vigilantes entered the forest shortly after the attack in an attempt to locate the victims.

He confirmed that nine corps members and the driver were in the vehicle, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 10.

As of the time of filing this report, the victims were still being held captive, while their families continued to appeal for urgent intervention to secure their release.