The parents of Akwa Ibom NYSC members abducted by bandits on their way to a camp in Zamfara State are beginning to lose hope in the fate of their children. The NYSC members were intercepted on a highway in Zamfara State on August 17, 2023, in an 11-seater vehicle.
According to reports, nine passengers were abducted including the driver while others escaped. Two of the passengers, a male and a female were released thereafter. The kidnappers are demanding additional N70 million ransom to free the victims after collecting N30 million from their parents.
Amidst the hopelessness faced by the parents of the abducted NYSC members, they gathered in Uyo last week for a street march to renew a mix of anger and appeals to the government. They also appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid to save the victims.
How the Parents of the Abducted NYSC Members Charge the Government to Intervene
One of the parents identified as 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.
She said: “The last time I saw my daughter was at the AKTC motor park as I saw her off. That day, I felt happy seeing other corps members travelling with her. How could I have known that my daughter would not be safe travelling by AKTC? Till today, I blame AKTC for what happened to those children in Zamfara.”
“We were told the driver was cautioned not to go through that route once it was 6 pm, but he didn’t listen. After the first week that the incident happened, I have not been able to talk to my child again because they seized their phones. It hurts to imagine the punishment, and suffering those children are passing through in the bush.”
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“Even our state government has abandoned us in this situation. It’s sad and painful. We are helpless and desperate because all the people we have contacted have not given us any hope.”
“We have met with Paramount Rulers to help us reach out to the governor but no feedback. I wrote to Governor Umo Eno through some of his aides but I doubt if he saw those letters we wrote to him for help, more than one month ago.”
“And I am telling Governor Eno, our federal and state lawmakers, especially the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, that we will not rest, and will continue to appeal to them to help bring back our children to us alive. Don’t let them die in the Zamfara bush. We, the parents, are helpless. We need your urgent support because we have just a few days to pay the ransom. There is no time.”
Some of us borrowed money, some took loans, others sold their properties to raise over N30m ransom but unfortunately those children are still in captivity. If you are a well-placed individual in society, we need your support. Help us to rescue our children abducted for over three months now by bandits in Zamfara. I have been restless since we were told that our children are weak.”
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