20 Fr£ed Prospective Corps Members Arrive In DSS Headquarters In Oyo State
20 Freed Prospective Corps Members Arrive In DSS Headquarters In Oyo State
PUNCH reports that only the representatives of the victims’ parents were allowed into the DSS premises, while other relatives remained outside.
Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members rescued after spending seven days in captivity have arrived in Ibadan, Oyo State, following their release in Imo State.
The victims were taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in the Aleshinloye area of Ibadan South-West Local Government Area on Wednesday, where they were received after their ordeal.
PUNCH reports that only the representatives of the victims’ parents were allowed into the DSS premises, while other relatives remained outside.
The 20 graduates were among 30 prospective corps members travelling in two buses from Oyo State to NYSC orientation camps in Abia State when they were abducted.
The remaining 10 passengers reportedly escaped into the bush during the incident.
The victims were released seven days after they were kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Imo State.
Their release followed efforts by security authorities, community leaders and the victims’ families to secure their freedom.
The abductors initially demanded N50 million for each victim, putting the total ransom demand at N1billion.
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The kidnappers later reduced the amount to N5million per person, bringing the reported demand for the 20 victims to N100million.
The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, had confirmed details of the ransom demand on Friday.
The abduction had also prompted the victims’ parents to seek intervention from traditional and security authorities.
On Saturday, some of the parents visited the private residence of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, alongside the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.
Following their release, Ladoja said the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, had confirmed the development to him during a telephone conversation at about 5pm. The Olubadan made the disclosure in a statement issued by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, in Ibadan.
The arrival of the rescued graduates in Ibadan marks the next stage of their reunification with their families after the abduction.
Their movement and welfare are expected to remain under the attention of the relevant authorities as investigations into the kidnapping continue.
