Edo kidnapping: 'Armed men demanded 620 million naira for abductees'

Executive Director of Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, said on Monday that alleged kidnappers who abducted passengers from Tom Ikimi Railway Station in Igueben, Edo State on Saturday , had contacted some families of kidnap victims and demanded 20 million naira for each victim.

Odia said the request was absurd, calling on authorities to step up their efforts to rescue the 31 abductees who are still being held captive by their victims.

He also said that the Minister of Transport and the boss of the Nigeria Railway Corporation were in Igueben to assess the situation themselves.

Odia said authorities promised to use a helicopter on Tuesday in an effort to locate where the victims were being held in the bush.

He said, "I can tell you that the kidnappers demanded 20 million naira, for a total of 620 million naira. This is absurd and I don't know where the poor will be able to collect this sum.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for the State Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said he would confirm the truth of the allegation.

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