The National Youth Service Corps member, Esther Akande, with Call-up No.: NYSC/IFE/2023/201810 (Batch B stream 2), who was kidnapped on Wednesday, August 16, and released on Saturday, August 19, has said that the sum of N1 million was paid as ransom for her release.
Esther narrated the ordeal in a telephone interview with Punch on Tuesday, she stated that her kidnappers initially demanded for N300 million but later reduced it to N1 million.
According to Esther, she was kidnapped on her way to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Magaji Dan Yanusa Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Wednesday, August 16, and released on Saturday, August 19.
She said, “I was on my way to camp there, because our bus, our car (driver), actually handed us over to another car (driver) at Lokoja. So, he dropped us off. So we entered another car and continued the journey from there. As we were about to enter, I think, Abaji, these people, we just met them on the road, asked us to stop.
“They started shooting the car, and before we knew it, the driver was shot. The person beside him was shot also. So I think the driver was shot in the head. The other person was shot and he died on that spot immediately. So we were tried to escape from the car because the car actually turned upside down and smoke was coming out of it.
“So we were trying to escape because we feared the car might catch fire. As we were about to escape, I was dragged out from the car by these men. And they dragged me into the bush and later I saw them drag another lady that was in the car too into the bush too.
“Then, the other two that were in the car, I don’t know how they managed to escape. I don’t know. So that was how it happened. We were in the bush for four days. They tortured us,” she said.
When asked about her release, Esther revealed, “I spent four days. From Wednesday, I was released on Saturday. The incident happened on Wednesday. They released me on Saturday after collecting money from my parents. So, they actually requested money. At first, they were requesting N300m. Later, it was reduced to N100 million. Then after begging, it was later reduced to N1million.
“They asked my dad to bring the money to Abaji. So, I don’t know how it happened there, because I know they delayed him, he was there since 12pm, but they attended to him by 9pm. So after they collected the money, they later released me.”
Although, when her father, Mr Akande was contacted, he denied paying the requested ransom to the kidnappers for her release.
