The abductors of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members kidnapped in Imo State, Nigeria, have reduced their ransom demand from $50m to $5m per victim. This brings the total amount demanded for the victims' release to $100m. The fresh demand came as the victims' families raised concerns over reports that the captives were being beaten by the gunmen.
According to Alimot Akande, one of the parents of the abducted corps members, the kidnappers initially demanded $50m and gave the families a 24-hour deadline for payment. The amount had now been reduced to $5m for each of the 20 victims. Akande's 25-year-old sister, Kehinde Akande, is one of the abducted corps members.
The parent further disclosed that one of the victims had been allowed to communicate with his father, but alleged that the kidnappers were using the communication to assess the family's capacity to raise the ransom. The families are still relying on assurances from the police as they struggle to raise the demanded ransom.
Akande also expressed concern over the condition of the abducted corps members, alleging that the gunmen had subjected them to physical assault while pressuring them to convince their families to meet the ransom demand. The situation had become particularly distressing after she learnt that the abductors had started beating the victims.
The Imo State Police Command has identified the location where the 20 prospective corps members are believed to be held but has delayed a direct operation because of intelligence that the suspected camp may have been planted with improvised explosive devices.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Audu Garba Bosso, disclosed this while providing an update on the rescue operation. Bosso said security operatives had trailed the abductors into the bush and deployed drones on Friday, which helped to identify the suspected location of the victims.
Bosso explained that the drones showed the exact location of the suspected camp, but the presence of possible explosives had complicated the operation. The commissioner said security operatives were preparing to enter the area with heavy equipment, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, in an effort to rescue the victims safely.
Key points
- The abductors of 20 prospective NYSC members in Imo State, Nigeria, have reduced their ransom demand from $50m to $5m per victim.
- The Imo State Police Command has identified the location of the suspected camp but delayed a direct operation due to intelligence on possible improvised explosive devices.
- The families of the abducted corps members are struggling to raise the demanded ransom while dealing with the distressing situation of their loved ones being beaten.
