Family Seeks Rescue of Dapo, Nine Others Abducted on Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Road

The family of a recently discharged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Dapo, has appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the release of their son and nine other people reportedly abducted along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Road in Ogun State.

Dapo’s sister, Abigeal, said the victims were travelling from Ijebu-Ode towards Ibadan on Tuesday when their bus was allegedly diverted into a bush path and attacked by armed men.

Speaking on Thursday, Abigeal said her brother had completed his NYSC programme in Edo State the previous week and was returning to Ibadan when the incident occurred.

She explained that Dapo had been updating the family about his journey, including sending videos showing traffic along the route, before communication with him suddenly stopped.

According to her, the family learnt about the abduction around 7pm after one of the passengers reportedly escaped and contacted them.

Abigeal said the escapee informed the family that the bus had been attacked and that Dapo and nine other passengers had been taken away.

She added that police officers and local vigilantes launched a search operation shortly after the incident but returned without locating the victims.

The family later visited the Ijebu-Ode Police Station, where they reported the incident. Abigeal said the kidnappers subsequently used her brother’s phone to contact the family and demand a ransom of N20m.

She said the abductors later increased the demand to N25m and gave the family a 24-hour deadline to make payment.

According to her, the kidnappers briefly allowed Dapo to speak with the family before taking the phone from him. She said the family heard him crying during the call and remained worried about his safety.

Abigeal also disclosed that the bus and passengers’ luggage had been recovered and taken to the police station, but the abducted passengers remained missing.

She appealed to the authorities and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims, saying the family could not afford the ransom being demanded.

The passenger who reportedly escaped also recounted the incident in a voice note shared with the family. He alleged that the driver suddenly turned onto a bush path as the vehicle approached the Ibadan direction.

He said the passengers encountered armed men after the bus went deeper into the bush, adding that the attackers fired several shots and that one person was shot during the assault.

The escapee said he managed to hide and later found himself in the bush after the other passengers had been taken away.

However, the Ogun State Police Command disputed the claim that the abducted victims were corps members.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed that some people had been abducted along the Ogun State corridor of the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Road but denied that any NYSC member was among them.

“There was no abduction of 10 corps members. I can confirm that no corps member was abducted. Some persons were abducted, and we are on it,” Babaseyi said.

The police spokesperson did not provide further details about the identities or number of the abducted persons in the statement provided.

Meanwhile, Dapo’s family has continued to appeal for urgent intervention to secure the safe return of all the victims.