Akure—The five corps members abducted four days ago by 15 suspected gunmen in lfon community, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, have gained their freedom, after coughing out N5 million ransom.
They include three females and two male corps members.
Recall that the corps members were kidnapped along Ifon-Owo highway in the Ose council of the state on their way from Enugu State, where they had undergone the mandatory orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.
During the attack, the driver of the vehicle as well as a female passenger were shot dead.
The victims include Adewole Oluwaseun, Oluwadara Feranmi, Andrew Patience, Oribamise Taiwo and Ajayi Lekan.
A brother to one of the victims, Lawal Happiness said: “After they were done with their NYSC orientation programme, they reported to their PPA accordingly in order to come home to get her stuff for proper resumption.
They embarked on this journey on July 18, 2024, and left Enugu State at 9a.m.”
Meanwhile, a statement by the state police command spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, said the victims have been found.
After the abduction, the abductors reportedly contacted one of the families of the victims, threatening to kill them that same weekend and demanded the sum of N1m ransom on each of the victims.
The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the development to our correspondent in a statement on Monday.
She said, “The command this day July 22 has found the victims of the Ose/Ifon area kidnap which occurred on July 18, 2024. The victims were abandoned by their assailants after the police mounted pressure on the kidnappers.
“Policemen drawn from the tactical squad led by the Area Commander of Owo, ACP Olufemi Awoyale’s continuous combing of the bush with sustained technical support frustrated the assailants and forced the bandits to abandon the victims at the Oyinbo/Sanusi Camp.”
The police spokesperson said the victims were currently being attended to at the Police Medical Services, Owo, and would be handed over to their family members after being debriefed.