Edo Kidnapping: Gunmen Demand N620m Ransom for Abductees

The Executive Director of Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, has revealed that the kidnappers who abducted passengers at the Tom Ikimi Train Station in Igueben, Edo State on Saturday have made contact with some of the victim's families and are demanding N20 million (about $52,000) for each victim.

Odia has called on authorities to increase their efforts in rescuing the 31 remaining kidnap victims and has stated that the Minister of Transportation and the head of the Nigeria Railway Corporation visited Igueben to assess the situation.

The authorities have reportedly promised to use a helicopter on Tuesday in an attempt to locate the victims, who are believed to be held in the bush. The kidnappers' demand for N620 million (about $1.6 million) in total has been called "absurd" by Odia, who questioned where the poor families of the victims would be able to obtain such a large sum of money.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the state command has said he will confirm the validity of the claim.