The executive director of Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, said on Monday that the suspected kidnappers who kidnapped the passengers at the Tom Ikimi train station in Igeben, Edo state, on Saturday had been put in He contacted some families of the kidnapping victims and demanded N20 million for each victim.
Odia said the demand was absurd and called on the authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the 31 kidnapped people who are still being held captive by their hostages.
He also said that the Transport Minister and the head of the Nigeria Railway Corporation were in Igueben to assess the situation themselves.
Odia said authorities promised to use a helicopter Tuesday in an effort to locate the victims in the bush.
He said: “I can tell you that the kidnappers have demanded N20 million, for a total of N620 million. This is absurd and I don’t know where poor people can get that amount of money from.
When contacted, State Command Police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he would confirm the veracity of the claim.
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