Tension as Kidnappers Threaten to Kill Abducted Oyo Corps Members

The families of 19 prospective corps members from Oyo State abducted in Imo State are facing a ₦950 million ransom demand, with the kidnappers reportedly threatening to kill the victims if the money is not paid.

The victims were travelling from Ibadan to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen attacked their vehicles along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.

The incident occurred on Thursday, October 1, after the buses reportedly left Ibadan the previous day. The travellers had encountered delays on the journey and spent the night in Anambra State before continuing towards Imo.

According to accounts from relatives and the transport company, the attackers emerged from the bush near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, blocked the vehicles and forced some of the passengers into the surrounding bush.

The kidnappers later contacted some of the victims’ families using the abducted persons’ phones and demanded ₦50 million for each victim, bringing the reported ransom demand to ₦950 million.

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The development has heightened anxiety among the victims’ families, particularly after the abductors allegedly issued threats against the captives.

One relative reportedly said a family member was able to see some of the abducted graduates during a video call initiated by the kidnappers. The victims were allegedly seen sitting on the ground in a bush location.

Another family member said one of the abducted prospective corps members managed to send a brief message to a family WhatsApp group before communication was lost.

The affected families have appealed to the Imo State Government, Oyo State Government, Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.

The parents also reportedly sought the intervention of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, after visiting him in Ibadan to seek assistance over the abduction.

The incident has also prompted increased security operations in the area, with security agencies deploying personnel and tactical teams to search for the victims and track the suspected kidnappers.

The Imo State Police Command said 10 people had been rescued following the attack, while efforts were continuing to establish the full number of people still in captivity.

There have been conflicting reports about the number of prospective corps members abducted. While several reports put the figure at 19, some accounts from relatives have referred to 20 victims and a ransom demand of about ₦1 billion. Authorities have continued efforts to establish the precise number of people taken during the attack.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has also strengthened the security operation in Imo State, with senior police officers deployed to coordinate efforts aimed at rescuing the remaining victims.

The abduction has renewed concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling to NYSC orientation camps, particularly those travelling long distances across states for the mandatory national service programme.

The families are now waiting for the safe return of their relatives as security agencies continue the search for the abducted Oyo corps members.

Tension as Kidnappers Threaten to Kill Abducted Oyo Corps Members

Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

More than 1,000 members of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing dissatisfaction with their political experience in the state.

The defectors formally joined the APC at the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Friday, October 2, 2026.

They were led by APM chieftain Mustapha Kazeem, popularly known as Oba Oluyole, and received by Oyo State APC Chairman, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, alongside members of the party’s state executive committee. (The Times)

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Kazeem said their decision followed what he described as a series of experiences while supporting the administration and political structure associated with Governor Seyi Makinde.

He alleged that some supporters had not received adequate recognition for their loyalty and sacrifices, while accusing members of Makinde’s political structure in Oluyole of victimising members of his group.

Kazeem said the situation eventually convinced them to leave the APM and join the Oyo APC, declaring that they had reached a point where they could no longer pretend about their dissatisfaction.

He described the APC as a platform through which the defectors could pursue their political interests and said they were no longer willing to remain within what he described as “deceit and propaganda.”

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The allegations against Makinde’s political structure were made by the defectors and were not independently established in the report.

Receiving the new members, the Oyo APC chairman welcomed them into the party and presented brooms to them as a symbol of their formal admission.

Adeyemo urged the defectors to put their previous political differences behind them and participate actively in the activities of the APC in Oyo State.

The defection comes amid increasing political realignments in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and their supporters seeking to strengthen their structures and mobilise members across the state.

The latest movement also comes against the backdrop of continuing discussions among opposition politicians over possible cooperation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

An APM chieftain, Oluwaseun Adeloro, recently argued that opposition parties still had an opportunity to work towards a common presidential candidate.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Adeloro said opposition politicians could still reach an agreement despite the separate ambitions of major political figures.

He specifically mentioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi while discussing the challenges of reaching a consensus.

Adeloro also expressed support for Governor Seyi Makinde as a possible consensus candidate and defended Makinde’s proposal for a four-year “reset” of Nigeria.

The latest APM-to-APC defection in Oyo adds to the political activity already underway ahead of the 2027 general elections.

For the defectors, the move marks a shift from the APM to the APC, while the allegations they cited concerning their treatment within Makinde’s political structure remain their stated reasons for leaving.

Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested a man identified as Zayyanu Halilu after he was allegedly caught sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl inside a car in Abuja.

Halilu was arrested on Friday, October 2, 2026, by operatives of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit during a routine patrol at the Airport Bridge Taxi Park in Abuja.

According to the police, officers became suspicious after noticing a fully tinted navy-blue Volkswagen parked at the location with its windows wound up. The vehicle was reportedly shaking, prompting the officers to approach and inspect it.

The officers allegedly opened the vehicle and found the suspect with the 12-year-old child, leading to his immediate arrest and the rescue of the girl.

The child was subsequently taken for medical attention, while the suspect was detained for investigation.

The police said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect had allegedly taken the girl to the same location on previous occasions and sexually abused her.

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The Command further alleged that the suspect had threatened the child with harm if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.

A medical examination, according to the police, subsequently showed that the child was about three months pregnant. She remains under medical care and is undergoing further assessment.

The police said the suspect would be charged to court after the completion of the investigation.

The FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrest, while the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, urged parents and guardians to pay close attention to the safety, welfare and whereabouts of children under their care.

The Command also urged residents to report suspicious activities involving children or other vulnerable persons to the police.

The latest incident has again highlighted concerns about child sexual abuse and the protection of minors in Abuja. Under Nigerian law, allegations involving sexual offences against children are subject to investigation and prosecution, and suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court.

The identity of the child has not been disclosed in keeping with the need to protect the privacy and welfare of a minor allegedly involved in a sexual-abuse case.

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car