Family of kidnapped NYSC member pleads for government help

A family of one of the ten recently released National Youth Service Corps members kidnapped on the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan Road is asking the Federal Government and security agencies to help rescue their son, Dapo.

Dapo’s sister, Abigeal, spoke with PUNCH Metro on the phone on Thursday. She said the incident happened shortly after the victims left Ijebu-Ode on their way to Ibadan on Tuesday.

Abigeal said, “The matter has been reported at the Ijebu-Ode Police Station. The kidnappers first contacted the family, asking for a ransom of N20 million, but later increased it to N25 million with a 24-hour deadline. The last time we heard from Dapo was when he sent a video of the traffic situation on the road. After that, he became unreachable.

“On Tuesday, my brother was returning from Edo. He was posted to Edo State for NYSC and did his POP last week. He was on his way back to Ibadan and gave us updates about his journey. At one point, he posted about the traffic. I have the videos showing the traffic. That was the last time we heard from him.

“Not until around 7 pm, when one of his co-members escaped. I don't know how he got away. I spoke to him yesterday. He told my other brother that their bus was attacked and that Dapo and nine others had been kidnapped.

“He gave us that information. Immediately, the police and vigilantes went into the bush that Tuesday after it happened, but they have not returned yet.

“So yesterday (Wednesday), we went to the Ijebu-Ode Police Station. We met with the police, and they told us to stay calm, saying their team was not back yet. A little less than an hour later, those people returned without any news.

“The police told us to wait for the kidnappers' call. On our way back to the park yesterday, we got a call. The kidnappers used Dapo's phone to call us, and we rushed back to the police station.

“We heard his voice. He said, ‘Hello, mummy.’ We asked, ‘What is happening?’ They took the phone from him and said they wanted N20 million. We were still trying to plead when they ended the call. The phone was switched off again until around 6:59 pm, when they called us again, now asking for N25 million.

“We were still begging. They said, ‘Shebi na cry you wan cry, they cry, they go.’ Then they ended the call and said the deadline was today (Thursday). Some of the victims kidnapped are also corps members, and I saw their posts on Twitter. Their families are also trying to raise funds. I have all that information.

“The bus has been recovered, with their luggage already at the police station. The police gave us Dapo's luggage yesterday, but he and the other nine corps members are still missing. According to the guy who escaped, the driver drove straight into the bush, and before they knew it, armed Fulanis surrounded them.

“I was trying to say that if there was traffic, and the driver tried to take shortcuts, they were shouting at him to reverse, but he didn't respond. My brother and the guy who escaped are the only males; the rest are females. Please, my brother and the other corps members are still in the bush. The kidnappers called us yesterday (Wednesday), and we have reported it at the Ijebu-Ode Police Station,” she said.

Abigeal, therefore, pleaded with the government and security agencies to ensure their safe rescue.

She said, “We are calling on the government, the security people, and everyone to help us because they have been in the bush since Tuesday. They have spent two nights with the kidnappers, and we don’t even have the N25 million.

“So, there might be another night. They are likely to spend another night with them. We are asking the government for help. We need our brother back, and we need the other victims back.

“We heard their denial, but my brother is the only guy among them. We need the government and security people. We need them to rescue them. We heard his voice; he was crying yesterday. We need everybody, please.”

The corps member who escaped recounted how the incident happened in a voice note shared with our correspondent. He said when they saw traffic, the driver suddenly turned onto a bush path.

He said, “As we were traveling, after passing Ijebu and heading toward Ibadan, around 7 pm, our driver turned into the bush.

“Before we knew what was happening, we saw Fulani people. They attacked us and fired their guns repeatedly. Right there, they shot someone, but I just hid inside. I found myself in the bush after they took the others away. Some of the abductees left their phones in the bus. It was a very tough time.”

On Thursday, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the abduction of some people around the Ogun State area of the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan Road but denied that any corps members were among those taken.

Babaseyi said, “There was no abduction of 10 corps members. I can confirm that no corps member was abducted. Some people were abducted, and we are on it.”