Ten passengers were abducted on Tuesday night in Ijebu Awa, a community on the border between Ogun and Oyo states, and the kidnappers have demanded a N25 million ransom for their release.
Among the victims was 24‑year‑old Olusoji Adedapo, a former member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who had just completed his posting in Edo State and was travelling from Benin City to Ibadan. His cousin, Adeseye Timilehin, said the family had been in distress after the kidnappers issued a 24‑hour deadline for payment.
According to Timilehin, the group left Benin City in the morning, encountered a traffic jam, and reached Ijebu Awa around 7 pm. The driver refused to return to Benin, and when the vehicle entered a bush the gunmen appeared, forcing the passengers to flee. One friend, Tunde, managed to escape and later informed the family that the driver had swerved into the bush and the bandits had jumped in front of the bus. Police officers arrived at the scene, rescued Tunde and took him to a station, while a search party was deployed that night but found no survivors.
The first call from the abductors came the following day, demanding N20 million. After the family could not meet that amount, the kidnappers increased the demand to N25 million. Timilehin said the family was allowed to speak briefly with Adedapo, who urged his mother to contact his elder brother for financial help. The family had raised only N700 000 at that point.
Police and local vigilantes have continued to search the surrounding forest, but no progress has been reported. The family remains in contact with the kidnappers, who have so far left the line after each call, and are awaiting further instructions.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
