Tension as abductors of Akwa Ibom NYSC members threaten parents over ransom

On August 17, 2023, while en route to orientation camp in Sokoto State, a group of young men from Akwa Ibom State were abducted. Their families and loved ones are living in constant fear because the kidnappers are demanding a ransom of N10 million Each from them.

According to Vanguard, a family member of the victim, Mr. Mfon Friday, said yesterday in Uyo that the abductors have received a ransom of N30.8 million.

Friday, expressing his anger over the parents’ apparent misery over their children’s kidnapping, brought to light the fact that the parents had paid N13.6 million initially and another N17.2 million towards the end of October, but their children remained abducted.

The abducted children, including the AKTC driver, have been held captive for more than a hundred days, he bemoaned. According to the kidnappers, parents need to pay an additional N70 million when they contacted on Monday.

Never forget that the initial ransom, paid in full by the parents, exceeded N13 million. However, this time around, they are demanding that each parent pay N10 million. About N30 million was paid out, with N17 million coming in before the end of October.They have collected $8 million, but those youngsters still haven’t been released.

They let out just one of the females. They approached us on Monday of this week and demanded N10 million from every family. How on earth are we going to get our hands on that much cash? Those individuals don’t get it; those kids don’t come from fancy families.

The kidnappers have gone so far as to say they will abandon the kids to die unless the parents pay the money immediately. My wrath knows no bounds. I don’t understand why our national and state governments aren’t doing more to save those recent grads. Actually, you had to watch the mothers’ (and other parents’) sobs when they heard that all the kids were sick.

“Why have they been allowed to remain in the kidnappers’ den till today if they are not the children of politicians, policemen, or members of the military?” We hope and pray that they are safe. So that these children do not perish in the clutches of their captors, I am utilising this platform to make an urgent plea for assistance to all of the good people of our nation.

After the impacted families convened in Uyo on Tuesday, one of the victims’ siblings spoke to our correspondent anonymously and revealed that the abductors were paid N17.2 million in ransom before releasing the female victims last month. The victims were reportedly in a critical condition.

The kidnappers are demanding this massive ransom and threatening the children’s deaths unless we pay them very soon because I found out that the other seven have also become terribly sick. The thought of my sister dying fills me with fear. “We had a hard time getting to school because we are orphans,” she bemoaned.