ABDUCTORS DEMAND N1BN RANSOM FOR 20 OYO CORPS MEMBERS

Parents of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted while travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps have said their captors are demanding N1bn for their release.

The prospective corps members were reportedly travelling from Ibadan to their camps on Thursday when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State. (punchng.com)

The affected families said the abductors had given them 24 hours to raise the ransom, with N50m reportedly demanded for each victim.

The parents appealed to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and security authorities to intervene and secure the release of their children.

The Imo State Police Command said security operatives had located the suspected area where the victims were being held, while an operation to rescue them was being coordinated.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has also deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue efforts.

Police authorities said efforts were ongoing to secure the safe release of the abducted prospective corps members.