SIX MONTHS AFTER ZAMFARA KIDNAP: Anxiety heightens in A-Ibom over abducted NYSC members

NERVOUSNESS has escalated among families, and community folks in Akwa-Ibom State, as four National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members from the state, kidnapped with four others, by bandits in Zamfara State, are yet to be freed, six months after.

The driver conveying the NYSC members on an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus from Uyo, to commence youth service at the Sokoto State Orientation Camp, was among the victims.

Gunmen abducted them on the Zamfara Highway, on August 17, 2023, but two males and two females have regained freedom among the eight NYSC members.

N50m ransom allegedly collected for release of 4

NDV learned the kidnappers squeezed N30.8m ransom from the traumatized parents and relatives before allowing the first two victims to regain freedom.

Though mute as to whether ransom was paid when NYSC announced the release of two more victims on December 7, 2023, a parent to one of the victims alleged that another N20m changed hands.

Kidnappers demand more payouts

Latest news within Uyo indicates the kidnappers were demanding additional money to make it a total of N200m ransom before releasing the remaining five victims with a threat to start killing them if the money is not paid urgently.

Overwhelmed by the huge burden, the helpless parents, relatives, and concerned residents, who barely struggled to train their children, are afraid of the worst, as they shared their worries with NDV in Itu and Eket Local Government Areas (LGAs) 

An Eket resident, simply identified as Mr. Umoek, who has been following this NYSC saga lamented: “I never believed some of those children would still be in captivity till now. I feel bad reading in the news, recently, that about four or more are yet to regain freedom.