Kidnappers Allegedly Torture 20 NYSC Members, Reduce Ransom to ₦5m Each

Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State have allegedly been subjected to physical assault by their captors, as the kidnappers reportedly reduced their ransom demand from ₦50 million to ₦5 million per victim.

The development has heightened anxiety among the victims' families as the reported deadline for payment approaches.

A relative of one of the abducted graduates, Alimot Akande, said her 25-year-old sister, Kehinde Akande, was among those being held.

Akande alleged that the kidnappers had started beating the victims, including the female captives.

“They are still demanding ₦5 million. They have come down to ₦5 million each,” she said, according to reports.

She described the situation as “horrible, scary and overwhelming” and appealed to the government to intensify efforts to secure the victims' safe release.

The reported ransom represents a sharp reduction from the initial demand of ₦50 million for each victim. The earlier demand would have amounted to about ₦1 billion for the 20 abducted prospective corps members.

The victims were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen reportedly attacked two buses around the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State on October 1.

Reports indicate that some passengers escaped during the attack, while others were taken into the bush by the gunmen.

The incident has prompted intervention by the Oyo State Government, which has been engaging with its Imo State counterpart and security agencies over efforts to secure the victims' release.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Police Command has provided an update on the rescue operation.

The state Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said security operatives had tracked the abductors to a location in the bush using drone surveillance.

However, he said operatives had not moved directly into the location because intelligence indicated that improvised explosive devices had been planted around the suspected kidnappers' camp.

The police said efforts were continuing to safely rescue the abducted prospective corps members.

The latest development has intensified calls for urgent intervention as families struggle to meet the reported ransom demand and await the safe return of their relatives.

The allegations of physical assault have not been independently verified, while the reported ransom demand remains based on information provided by relatives of the victims.

The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling to fulfil their national service obligations and the security challenges along major highways in the country.