Kidnappers demand N50m to free 8 A’Ibom corp members abducted in Zamfara

The abductors of eight recent graduates from Akwa Ibom State in Zamfara State in August 2023 are demanding N50 million as ransom for the release of the remaining victim, Bassey Daniel.

Mrs. Margaret Daniel, the victim’s mother, revealed this during an interview with Newsmen in her community of Afaha Ube Itam, located in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, yesterday.

Mrs. Margaret, who could not hold back the tears, lamented that she has nobody that could raise such huge amount of money, which the Zamfara kidnappers were demanding before they would free her son.

She lamented: “I am just a petty trader, I sell akara and bread. How will I raise that kind of money? I am helpless and in fact, when that amount of money was mentioned, I fell sick. And I have been asking God why my only son?

“They were nine people that were kidnapped that day in Zamfara State, the other eight have regained their freedom, remaining my son. They are demanding N50 million. I don’t have that kind of money. His father died a long time ago when he (Bassey) was just three years old.

“I struggled alone to raise him and sent him to school. I used the small money from the akara business to send my boy to school, from primary school, secondary and Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic.
“I have been asking God why this happened to me. I have suffered so much. And I am appealing to Akwa Ibom State governor, Pastor Umo Eno; the NYSC officials and security agencies to help bring my only son back to me.”

Another family member, Mr. Imoh, said: “We appreciate the security agencies and NYSC management for the effort they have made to ensure those children were released. And today, we are still begging them to help this our son, Bassey Daniel.

“We are worried. And any time the mother see corps members on their uniform, I tell you she feels terribly sad. So, we are begging them to help us.”

It will be recalled that a female and the last but one of the victims of the Zamfara State kidnap incident regained her freedom on June 12, 2024.

However, it was speculated then within the state capital that her relatives raised huge amount of money (amount not disclosed) as ransom before she was freed by her abductors.