Abducted NYSC Members: Parents accuse transport firm of withholding passengers’ next-of-kin details

Parents of prospective National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members abducted by gunmen in Imo State have accused the transport company that conveyed their children from Ibadan of allegedly withholding vital passenger information when they approached its office for assistance, raising fresh questions about the firm’s handling of the incident.

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The parents said they visited Eduak King Transport Company at Samonda, Ibadan, in a desperate search for information that could help them contact other affected families.

However, the company refused to provide the next-of-kin list of passengers aboard the ill-fated vehicle, despite the emergency created by the abduction.

One of the affected mothers, Mrs Iyabo Akande, whose daughter, Kehinde Marufat Akande, was among the abducted graduates, called on the Inspector-General of Police and the government to investigate the transport operator and ensure that those found culpable were held accountable.

She said: “Please, our government, please, the Inspector General of Police, the transport company Eduak King located at Samonda, please help us investigate them and put fear into them. Call them to account.

“Yesterday morning at their office, we were asking for the next of kin list so we could contact other parents, but they refused to present it or assist us. The company’s driver, Jeremiah, took our children. They must be held accountable.”

Another parent, Engr. Olawale Olaleye, whose daughter was also among the victims, expressed concern over what he described as the company’s continued transport operations despite the abduction and the distress of the affected families.

He said the parents were surprised to find the company loading another vehicle when they visited its premises to seek information and assistance.

“We went to Samonda, to Eduak King. Surprisingly, they were already loading another vehicle. People are complaining, the company should be held liable.”

When the transport company’s premises were visited, other transport operators were seen conducting their normal activities, while the premises of the affected company were locked and no official was available to respond to the allegations.

The allegations came amid growing anxiety among families following the reported abduction of 19 prospective corps members who were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Abia State.

The young graduates had boarded a bus operated by Eduak King Transport Company at its Samonda park on their way to begin the mandatory one-year national service after completing their university education.

According to accounts provided by the affected families, the journey included an overnight stop around Onitsha, Anambra State, before the vehicle reportedly resumed its journey at about 4:00 am.

The bus was allegedly attacked around the Owerri axis of Imo State at about 7:00 am, with 19 prospective corps members reportedly taken into the bush, while some other passengers escaped or were rescued.

Among those abducted were graduates of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, including a set of twins.

One of the parents, Engr. Olawale Olaleye, whose daughter was among those abducted, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene urgently, lamenting that the reported ransom demand had left the families helpless.

“The vehicle took off on Friday. They slept over around Onitsha. After taking off again around 4:00 am, after reaching Owerri in Imo State, they were kidnapped. That was where we heard information about her last.”

Expressing frustration over the reported ransom demand, Olaleye said, “This morning, they are already demanding N50 million! N50 million for just one head! We don’t have mouth to talk too much, but please come to our rescue. Governor Seyi Makinde, President Tinubu, please come to our rescue. Since Thursday, I have not eaten, I can’t even sleep.”

Another affected mother, Mrs Rebecca Adewale, whose 26-year-old son, Paul Iyanuoluwa Adewale, was among the abducted graduates, said the incident had thrown her family into deep anguish.

She said the family had made enormous sacrifices to educate their son and expressed concern about the reported ransom demand, appealing to the authorities to intensify efforts to secure his release.

Adewale also questioned the practice of deploying young graduates to distant locations for the compulsory national service, particularly in view of the security challenges associated with interstate journeys.

Her husband, Omotosho Emmanuel Adewale, recounted how the family discovered their son’s abduction after several unanswered telephone calls.

According to him, the family eventually received a brief call from Paul, who appeared to be communicating under the control of his captors and disclosed the ransom demand before the call ended.

He appealed to the government to intervene urgently and ensure the safe return of their son and the other abducted graduates.

Similarly, another parent, Mrs Iyabo Akande, said her daughter, Kehinde Marufat Akande, was travelling with her twin sister when the bus was attacked.

She explained that the family had spoken with her daughter late at night during the overnight stop before receiving the distressing information the following morning.

Akande said, “My name is Mrs Iyabo Akande, I am a trader. One of my twins, Kehinde Marufat Akande, was in that Abia-bound bus that was attacked in Imo State. We spoke around 11:00 pm when she sent a video of where they were sleeping overnight.“

“By morning around 5:00 am, they moved. The next thing we saw on our WhatsApp group at 6:17 am was a flashing alert/message from the kidnappers.”

She disclosed that the abductors subsequently contacted her and demanded N50 million for her daughter’s release, followed by other financial demands.

According to her, the family eventually transferred N100,000 after the abductors demanded money, hoping that the payment would prevent the captives from being harmed.

She added that the kidnappers later requested money to provide food for the hostages, prompting some of the affected families to contribute funds in the hope of ensuring better treatment for their children in captivity.

Akande lamented that the families lacked the financial capacity to meet the reported N50 million ransom demand and appealed to the government to intervene.

Another parent, Deaconess Kemi Makinde, a trader, recalled taking her child to the Samonda motor park early in the morning to board the bus heading for the NYSC orientation camp.

“My name is Deaconess Makinde, I am a trader. I took my child to the car park at Samonda on Tuesday morning around 5:00 am to 9:00 am to board the bus heading for the NYSC orientation camp. We are in complete agony, praying for their safe return.”

Also speaking, Mr Bafunsho Olayiwola, a psychiatric healthcare personnel at the State Hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan, appealed to Nigerians and the authorities to intervene urgently to secure the release of the abducted graduates.

He said, “Bandits came out to kidnap them. Ten were rescued on the spot, the remaining 19 were taken inside the bush. This morning, they asked him to bring N50 million. How will I get N50 million as per the kind of job I am doing for now?

“We are imploring everybody, all well-meaning Nigerians, Governor Seyi Makinde, President Tinubu, help us rescue our children!”

Meanwhile, the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retd.), has assured the affected families that the Oyo State Government is working with relevant security agencies to secure the release of the abducted prospective corps members.

Odukoya, who addressed the parents at the state secretariat, said the government was monitoring the situation and had established security contacts with relevant authorities in Imo and Abia states, as well as military and federal intelligence agencies.

He assured the parents that efforts were being intensified to locate the abducted youths and secure their safe return.

He also appealed to the families to remain calm and avoid taking actions capable of jeopardising the ongoing rescue efforts.