Distraught parents of seven Akwa-Ibom prospective National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC), members kidnapped in Zamfara State are losing hope on the fate of their children still in kidnappers’ den over four months after they were abducted.
Recall that on August 17 2023, an 11-seater Akwa Ibom State Transport Company (AKTC) en-route to Sokoto from Uyo was intercepted by bandits on the Zamfara State Highway who abducted eight of the passengers and the bus driver while others escaped.
The passengers were mainly fresh graduates from Akwa Ibom State posted to Sokoto for the compulsory one-year NYSC programme. Two of the eight passengers, one male and a female, were later released by the abductors, leaving six and the bus driver in their bondage. 149 days later, the victims remain in captivity.
The abductors are demanding N70 million ransom to free the abductees even after collecting over N30 million already from the traumatized parents.
Despite widespread condemnation of perceived nonchalance by the federal, Akwa Ibom and Zamfara State governments, the NYSC and security operatives towards the plight of the victims, these key state actors are said to have not done enough to rescue the corps members and their driver.
Checks revealed that the first victim freed was shot in the leg moments after their abduction. “He was huge and the captors had suspected he could be a disguised security agent. One female was later freed after payment of N17.2 million ransom. She was very sick”, a source disclosed.
According to parents and other family members of the victims, the first ransom paid was N13.6 million and another N17.2 million, bringing the total amount of ransom paid so far to N30.8 million.
Among those still in captivity are an orphan, another, the only son of a widow who had struggled to train her son from petty trading. The victims hail from different local government areas of Akwa Ibom cutting across the three senatorial districts, including Uruan, Ikono, Eastern Obolo, Abak, Nsit Ibom, Eket, Urue Offong/Oruko, Ini and Itu LGAs.
Their families had expected that on payment of the additional higher ransom, all of the victims would be released. However, their hopes were shattered last week following the kidnappers’ threats to begin killing their children one after the other should they fail to pay a sum of N70 million as soon as possible.
The latest development has heightened the families’ fear of losing their children. Amidst hopelessness, they gathered in Uyo last week for a street march to renew a mix of anger and appeals to the government and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid to save the victims.
One of the parents, Solomon Emmanuel, said, “I feel so bad when the government, particularly security agencies, say they are doing something to rescue our children. We only hear much in the news: but we are not seeing results. The N70 million the kidnappers are demanding currently is beyond us. We cannot afford that amount of money.
“So this is the time for the Government to show they are truly doing something about rescuing our children sent to serve their fatherland. That is why we decided to gather today and collectively appeal to the government for help”.
Another parent, who identified herself simply as Mrs, Idongesit, heartbroken by the latest threat from the abductors, blamed the transport company that befell their children.
Another parent, Bassey, who could hardly mutter a word, dripping in tears, said: “I have not been myself since my son was kidnapped. I don’t want to lose my child. I can’t talk on this please”.
Meanwhile, some parents and family members could not make it to the meeting in Uyo because they were traumatized by the failing health condition of their children still in the kidnappers’ den.
Since the abduction incident, both the Government, NYSC and the Police command in Zamfara and Akwa-Ibom States, have been reluctant to share information on efforts at rescuing the victims.
Citizens are worried why Governor Umo Eno and other leaders of the state appear unconcerned about the situation.
