Kidnappers demand N25m for 10 Ogun road passengers

Gunmen have demanded N25m for the release of 10 passengers abducted along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Road in Ogun State, as families appeal to security agencies to rescue the victims.

The victims, who were travelling in a commercial bus, were reportedly intercepted shortly after passing through Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday evening and taken into a nearby forest.

Among those abducted was Dapo, a recently discharged National Youth Service Corps member who had completed his programme in Edo State the previous week. Another corps member travelling with the group reportedly escaped.

Dapo's sister, Abigael, said the kidnappers initially demanded N20m before increasing the ransom to N25m during a subsequent telephone conversation.

She disclosed that the abductors gave the family 24 hours to raise the money, leaving relatives worried about the safety of the victims.

According to her, Dapo had been updating the family about his journey to Ibadan before communication suddenly stopped.

She said the last information he shared included a video showing traffic congestion along the route.

"That was the last time we heard from him," she said, recounting how the family learnt about the abduction around 7pm on Tuesday through a fellow corps member who escaped.

The escapee reportedly contacted the family and informed them that gunmen had attacked their bus and taken 10 passengers into the forest.

Abigael said the family subsequently reported the incident at the Ijebu-Ode Police Station, where they were told that police officers and local vigilantes had entered the forest to search for the victims.

She added that the abductors later contacted the family using her brother's telephone, first demanding N20m before raising the amount to N25m at about 6.59pm.

The family said the kidnappers ended the conversation after they appealed for more time, insisting that the ransom must be paid before Thursday.

Although the bus and passengers' belongings had reportedly been recovered and taken to the police station, the 10 victims remained in captivity.

Narrating how the incident happened, the escaped corps member alleged that the driver suddenly diverted from the main road into a bush path after encountering traffic.

He said passengers became suspicious and asked the driver to turn back, but he continued towards the forest.

According to him, gunmen opened fire as the vehicle approached their hideout, forcing passengers to flee.

"As we were travelling, shortly after passing through Ijebu, heading towards Ibadan, it was around 7.00 p.m. We just saw that our driver turned, facing into the bush," he said.

He alleged that the attackers shot at the passengers, adding that he managed to escape by hiding in the bush.

"All I knew was that I found myself in the bush after they had taken others away," he said.

The escapee also confirmed that police officers and vigilantes later joined the search for the abducted passengers.

Appealing for urgent government intervention, Abigael said the families were struggling to raise the N25m ransom and feared the prolonged captivity could endanger their relatives.

"Please, we are calling on the government and the security operatives to help us because they have been in the bush since Tuesday," she said.

"We need our brother back; we need the other victims back."

A senior police source in the Ogun State Police Command confirmed the abduction but declined to provide further details about the incident or rescue efforts.