The hostage crisis in Imo State has reached a critical flashpoint as the heavily armed gunmen who abducted 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and passengers have issued a strict 24-hour ultimatum, demanding a staggering N1 billion ransom for their release.
The horrifying development comes just days after the victims were forcefully dragged into the bush during a coordinated highway ambush along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Mbaitoli Local Government Area. Distraught family members revealed that the kidnappers established contact using the captives’ personal phones, issuing a terrifying directive: pay N50 million per individual within 24 hours or face dire consequences.
Anxious parents and relatives have been thrown into utter panic, appealing desperately to the Federal Government, military authorities, and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene immediately. The ultimatum comes even as top police commanders, led by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Shehu Nadada and specialized tactical units, intensify bush-combing operations and intelligence tracking across suspected forest hideouts in the state.
Security analysts and civil society groups have voiced outrage over the audacious demand, urging security forces to leverage advanced technology to track the abductors’ communication channels and safely free the victims before the deadline expires.
Please keep these young citizens in your prayers and share your thoughts in the comment section below!
