Families of nine National Youth Service Corps members and a driver abducted along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State have appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to secure their release.
The abductors have reportedly demanded N25 million as ransom and given the victims’ families a Thursday deadline to meet their demand.
One of the victims, identified as Dapo, recently completed his NYSC programme in Edo State and was travelling to Ibadan when the incident occurred on Tuesday evening.
His sister, Abigeal, said the family became worried after losing contact with him shortly after he sent a video showing traffic along the route.
She explained that the family later received information about the attack from a corps member who escaped from the abductors.
According to her, the survivor contacted another member of the family shortly after 7pm, confirming that the vehicle conveying her brother and other passengers had been attacked.
She said, “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.”
Abigeal disclosed that the family visited the Ijebu-Ode Police Station on Wednesday to report the incident and seek assistance.
She said police officers and local vigilantes had commenced a search operation in the forest but had yet to establish contact with the victims.
The victim’s sister further revealed that the kidnappers contacted the family using her brother’s telephone and initially demanded N20 million before increasing the ransom to N25 million in a subsequent call.
She said the abductors insisted that payment must be made 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,” she recounted.
“They said they were demanding N20 million. We were still trying to beg them when they ended the call. They called again, requesting N25 million and said the deadline was today (Thursday).”
Abigeal added that the family had recovered her brother’s luggage and other belongings after the vehicle involved in the incident was found and taken to the police station.
She also expressed concern over reports that the driver had diverted from the main road into a bush path while attempting to navigate the traffic, despite passengers’ objections.
Meanwhile, the corps member who escaped from the attack has narrated how the travellers were ambushed.
In a voice note, the survivor said the vehicle was heading towards Ibadan after passing Ijebu-Ode when the driver suddenly turned into a bush path at about 7pm.
He said the passengers questioned the driver over the unexpected diversion, but he allegedly ignored their concerns.
According to him, armed men emerged from the bush shortly afterwards and opened fire on the vehicle.
The survivor alleged that one of the passengers was shot during the attack, while he escaped by hiding.
He said, “Before we knew what was happening, we saw people coming from the bush. They attacked us and were shooting repeatedly. Right there, they shot someone, but I just hid inside.”
The survivor, who identified the attackers as Fulani, said the claim had not been independently verified.
He added that he later found himself in the bush after the gunmen had taken the other occupants away.
The families have appealed to the Federal Government, the Ogun and Oyo State governments, and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.
Abigeal said the families were struggling to raise the demanded ransom and feared for the safety of their loved ones after spending two nights in captivity.
“We are calling on the government and security operatives 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,” she said.
As of the time of filing this report, the nine corps members and their driver were still being held captive, with their families seeking urgent intervention.
