They wanted millions: NYSC-bound traveller recounts kidnap ordeal

A group of prospective National Youth Service Corps members were kidnapped in Edo State and held captive in a forest in Kogi State for over a week. Initially, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N50 million, but it was reduced to N30 million, N20 million, and eventually N10 million as their families struggled to raise the funds.

The captives endured harsh conditions, including sleeping on bare ground, enduring heavy rain, and surviving on minimal food. They were allowed to communicate with their families, and their pleas for help were monitored by their captors. The captives' families, including their friends and relatives, worked tirelessly to raise the ransom, selling valuable possessions and making sacrifices.

The kidnappers became angry when they learned that some of the families had raised only thousands of naira, rather than millions. After several days of negotiations and uncertainty, the captives were eventually released. Each victim was given N2,000 by the gang leader and told to leave quickly. The experience left a lasting impact on the victims, who found strength in their faith and reflected on the support they received from their families and communities during the ordeal.