NONE of the eight Akwa Ibom National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members abducted by bandits on Zamfara highway en route orientation camp in Sokoto State on August 17 has been released or escaped.
Contrary to recent media claims that three of the eight victims had been freed, family members who spoke to Vanguard in confidence Tuesday, expressed fears over the fate of their children still being held captive.
They said the kidnappers were currently demanding N100 million ransom for their release.
Recall that the abductors raised the ransom to N200 million after the affected families were able to give the N13 million initially demanded few weeks ago.
A widow, and mother of one of the victims, lamented: “I won’t stop crying until they bring my child back home. Since August 17 they took my child away.
“How can I forget that day? I have been telling God bring those children back to their poor parents.
“We don’t know any government because they have failed us, but we know God cannot fail us. And I am asking Him as the God of a poor widow like me, not to let the tears I shed every day and night be in vain.”
The grieving mother, who has taken to hunger strike, cried: “How can I eat when my child is not eating? Our sons, daughters have not been rescued. Why me?
“The big money those people are demanding for, where can we get it from?
“We have sold everything we had to paid over N13 million before. Money no dey again (there’sno more money). We (parents) have been suffering. Please tell them to help us.”
It was gathered that the NYSC authority had promised to visit the victims parents last week Wednesday but nobody showed up since then.
