GUNMEN who abducted 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have reduced the ransom demanded for their release from N50 million to N5 million each, bringing the total amount demanded to N100 million.
News Point Nigeria reports that the kidnappers had on Friday issued a 24-hour deadline for the payment of the initial N50 million ransom, with the ultimatum expected to expire on Sunday.
One of the affected parents, Alimot Akande, disclosed in a telephone chat with the this newspaper that the ransom had been downwardly reviewed to N5 million for each of the abducted prospective corps members.
She stated that the kidnappers had established contact with the respective parents of the captives through their mobile telephone lines.
The distraught mother lamented that the victims were being subjected to rigorous torture, saying they were being asked to impress upon their parents that failure to meet the fresh demand could result in something else.
“They are still demanding N5 million. They have come down to N5 million each.
“The total amount that is being expected to be paid by the affected parents has reduced from one billion naira to one hundred million naira.”
Akande, however, said she could not confirm how much had been raised by the families towards the ransom, explaining that she was not privy to the individual arrangements between the kidnappers and the other parents.
“I cannot say because I do not know how much they have told those people that they have.”
When asked to describe the situation from her perspective, Akande said, “It has been horrible, scary and overwhelming.”
The situation, according to her, became more disturbing after she spoke with her sister and learnt that the abductors had begun beating the victims.
“Sir, we appeal to the government to please assist us in getting them rescued out of that place. When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them since yesterday,” she said.
Asked whether the female prospective corps members were also being assaulted, she said the kidnappers had shown no restraint in their treatment of the victims.
“They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them,” she said.
She also disclosed that one of the abducted corps members had been allowed to communicate with his father, but the calls were allegedly being used by the kidnappers as an avenue to monitor the family’s ability to raise the demanded ransom.
According to her, the abductors would alert the victim whenever his father’s call came in and allow him to speak because they believed the father could provide the ransom.
She said, “His father has been communicating with him. The kidnappers give him access to a telephone. Whenever his father calls, they show him that a call came in for you. He would just say, ‘Oh, that’s my father.’
“They know money will come out of father’s hands, so they would just pick it and allow him to talk. And they have been beating him. They have been beating all of them.”
The parent also disclosed that the families had been relying on assurances from the police while efforts continued to secure the money demanded by the abductors.
“The police are telling us to still be buying time. We are still looking for the money. Depending on it, they will see them rescued,” she said.
Asked whether she was also directly affected by the incident, Akande replied, “I am. My sister was abducted.”
She identified her sister as Kehinde Akande and said she was 25 years old.