By Ayodele Oni
Abductors of 10 passengers, including a newly discharged corps member, along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan road in Ogun State have demanded for N25 million from family of the corper.
The victims were reportedly travelling in a commercial bus when armed men intercepted the vehicle and took them into a nearby forest.
Two corps members were said to have been aboard the bus, with one escaping into the bush while the other remained in captivity.
A sister to one of the victims, identified as Abigael, confirmed the incident to journalists, saying her brother, Dapo, who recently completed his NYSC programme in Edo State, was among those abducted.
She explained that the passengers were attacked shortly after passing through Ijebu-Ode, adding that the gunmen threatened to kill or injure them if they failed to cooperate.
According to her, the incident was reported at the Ijebu-Ode Police Station, but the kidnappers later contacted the family through her brother’s phone, initially demanding a ransom of N20 million before increasing it to N25 million.
She said the kidnappers gave the family a 24-hour deadline to pay the ransom.
Recounting how the family learnt about the incident, Abigael said her brother had been updating them on his journey from Edo State to Ibadan and had sent a video showing traffic congestion shortly before communication was lost.
She added that the family only learnt about the attack around 7 pm on Tuesday when a fellow corps member who escaped from the kidnappers contacted them.
“On Tuesday, my brother was on his way back from Edo; he was posted to Edo State for NYSC. He did his POP last week. So, he was on his way back to Ibadan.
So, he was still giving us updates about his journey, and at some point, he posted that there was traffic. I have the videos on my phone, posted that there was traffic. So, that was the last time we heard from him.
“Not until around past 7 in the night, one of the co-members escaped. I don’t know how he escaped; I spoke to that guy too yesterday.
“He was the one who told another brother of mine that their bus was attacked, and they had been kidnapped: my brother and nine other people.”
Abigael said the escaped passenger also informed the family that police officers and vigilantes had entered the forest in search of the victims.
She added that the family visited the Ijebu-Ode Police Station on Wednesday, where they were informed that security operatives were yet to return from the search operation.
According to her, the kidnappers later contacted the family using Dapo’s phone and demanded N20 million before calling again at about 6:59 pm to increase the ransom to N25 million.
She revealed that the kidnappers ended the conversation after the family pleaded for more time, insisting that payment must be made before the deadline on Thursday.
Abigael further disclosed that the bus and the passengers’ belongings had been recovered and taken to the police station, but the victims remained in captivity.
She appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abductees, saying the families were struggling to meet the ransom demand.
“Please, we are calling on the government, the security operatives, everybody. To please help us because they have been in the bush since Tuesday. They have already spent two nights with them (kidnappers), and we don’t even have the N25 million to raise.
“So, there’s possibly another night. They’ll be spending another night with them again. Please, we are asking that the government help us. We need our brother back, we need other victims back,” she said.
The corps member who escaped also narrated the incident in a voice note shared with journalists, alleging that the driver suddenly diverted from the main road into a bush path after encountering traffic.
According to him, passengers became apprehensive and shouted at the driver to turn back, but he continued driving towards the forest.
He stated that the vehicle came under attack as it approached the kidnappers’ hideout, with the gunmen firing several shots.
“As we were travelling, shortly after passing through Ijebu, we faced, Ibadan, it was around 7PM, we just saw that, our driver turned facing into the bush.
“All I knew was just that I met myself in the bush after they had taken others away. Some of the abducted dropped left their phones in the bus. It was a very tough time.”
He added that police officers and vigilantes later entered the forest in search of the victims.
A senior police source in the Ogun State Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the abduction of passengers along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan road.
The source, however, gave no further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident or the ongoing efforts to secure the victims’ release.
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