Abducted NYSC Prospective Corps Members: Families Given 24 Hours to Raise Ransom

Abducted NYSC Prospective Corps Members: Families Given 24 Hours to Raise Ransom

Families of prospective NYSC corps members abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway have reportedly been given 24 hours to raise ransom for their loved ones.

The victims were among passengers travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps and other destinations in the South-East and South-South when two buses were attacked around Umunoha in Imo State on October 1. The families said the kidnappers demanded N50 million for each victim and threatened to harm them if the money was not paid.

Security agencies have been searching for the abductors, with Imo State Police Commissioner Audu Garba Bosso saying operatives had traced the suspects to a forest hideout. He said the presence of suspected IEDs around the camp had made a direct rescue operation difficult.

The Defence Headquarters said 20 passengers were taken from the buses, while 10, including eight prospective corps members, have since been rescued. Troops, police, DSS and the Nigerian Air Force are continuing efforts to locate and rescue those still in captivity.