Suspected kidnappers on Monday night abducted four Rufus Giwa Polytechnic graduates on their way to Zamfara State for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, it was learnt on Tuesday.
The victims made up of three male and a female were kidnapped around Funtua in Katsina State at about 11:30pm by armed men who laid a siege to the road.
As a result of this action, security officials renewed their advice to commuters to avoid night travels especially in areas where there are security threats.
It was gathered that the victims and some of their school mates who were posted to Zamfara State were travelling on a chartered bus from Owo, Ondo State to the camp site ahead of yesterday’s opening of the orientation camp.
While some of the occupants were able to escape and hide in the surrounding bush, the kidnapped four were not fortunate as the armed men whisked them away.
It was gathered that one of the occupants, who escaped, contacted the parents of some of the victims to notify them of the incident.
She also went to the police station to incident it.
It was gathered that the kidnappers, who could only speak Hausa, have established contact with some relatives of the victims but there were hiccups because neither side had a translator.
“The graduated students chartered a bus from Owo to Zamfara State where they were posted for NYSC. The bus was to take them directly to the camp. Their families last heard from them around 4pm on Monday when they got to Zaria only for Tolu to call Tuesday morning that kidnappers attacked them and took four persons.
“No ransom has been demanded yet but the kidnappers have contacted some of the parents but because they were speaking Hausa, there wasn’t much communication.
“We are appealing to security agencies to rescue these children safely and the government has to direct NYSC to reconsider posting prospective corps members to areas their lives will be endangered,” said a source.
Police spokesman DCP Frank Mba said the Katsina State command had commenced a manhunt for the suspects with a view to rescue the victims unhurt.
He said: “It is true. Four of them were kidnapped around 11:30pm. The command has launched a manhunt for their captors in order to ensure their safe rescue. The command is making progress in its investigation and operation.”
UPDATE:
A report by The Nation indicates that four prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members kidnapped on the night of Monday, March 9, in Katsina state have been rescued.
Reports have it that they were rescued by the policemen in an operation that commenced on the morning of Tuesday, March 10.
It was gathered that the victims, comprising three men and a woman, were being taken to the NYSC camp in Katsina by a police convoy where they were likely to undergo the orientation exercise.
The victims were whisked away by armed men around 11:30 pm on Monday, March 9, after a bus they chartered from Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Ondo state, to take them to Zamfara, came under attack at Katsina.
While nine of the 13 occupants of the bus escaped being kidnapped, four of them were not as lucky. It was gathered that the kidnappers called the families around midnight on Wednesday, March 11, and demanded N10m ransom.
According to a parent to one of the victims, the kidnappers called with the same number they used to reach him the previous day which was availed the police.
“I just spoke with the commissioner of police now and he told me that all four have been rescued. I am thankful to the police for rescuing them. The kidnappers called again around midnight and this time, someone who could speak English was on the other end. "
They said I have to bring N10m for my child to be released. “But I did not pay anything and they have been rescued. I am thankful that the children are safe and they are being taken to NYSC in Katsina,” said the parent.