Kidnappers holding 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Imo State have reportedly reduced their ransom demand from N1 billion to N100 million.
The abductors initially demanded N50 million for each of the 20 victims, who were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen attacked the two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.
However, the kidnappers have now reportedly reduced the demand to N5 million per victim, bringing the total ransom to N100 million.
The development was disclosed by relatives of the abducted graduates, who said the reduction had not eased their concerns because the victims were still being held captive.
One of the affected relatives, Alhaja Alimot Akande, said the abductors had allegedly subjected the captives to physical assault.
She appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.
The parents of the abducted graduates had earlier appealed for help after the kidnappers reportedly gave them a 24-hour deadline to raise the initial N1 billion ransom.
Security agencies have been conducting operations to locate and rescue the remaining victims, while the Oyo State Government said it was in contact with the Imo State Government and security agencies over the incident.
