Ten travellers have been abducted by suspected terrorists at Ijebu Awa, a boundary community between Ogun and Oyo states, with the kidnappers demanding N25 million for their release.

Among the victims is 24-year-old Olusoji Adedapo, a former National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who completed his national service in Edo State last week and was travelling to Ibadan when the incident occurred on Tuesday.

The abduction has thrown the families of the victims into distress, particularly following threats by the kidnappers and their insistence on the payment of the ransom.

Adedapo's cousin, Adeseye Timilehin, who disclosed the incident, said the victim had been updating his family about his journey from Benin City until communication was interrupted after he shared a video showing traffic congestion along the route.

According to him, the travellers eventually left the traffic around 3pm, despite concerns raised about the lateness of their journey. The vehicle was reportedly attacked by gunmen around 7pm at Ijebu Awa.

Timilehin explained that Adedapo was travelling with a friend, Tunde, who was also his colleague during the NYSC programme. Tunde reportedly escaped by hiding in the bush while the other passengers were captured.

He said the survivor later contacted the family and was rescued by police officers, who took him to a police station.

Following the incident, police officers and local vigilantes reportedly launched a search operation in the surrounding forest, but the initial operation did not lead to the rescue of the victims.

The family subsequently travelled from Ibadan to Awa-Ijebu to seek information about the incident and establish the whereabouts of their relatives.

However, the kidnappers contacted them while they were returning to the motor park and initially demanded N20 million.

Timilehin said the abductors later increased the ransom to N25 million after the family pleaded that it could not afford the initial demand.

The family was briefly allowed to speak with Adedapo, confirming that he was alive and in the custody of his abductors.

Timilehin disclosed that the kidnappers continued contacting the family on Thursday, demanding to know how much had been raised towards the ransom.

He said the family had so far been able to raise only N700,000, far below the amount demanded.

He appealed to friends, relatives and well-meaning Nigerians to assist the family in securing the release of Adedapo and the other abducted travellers.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command has confirmed that investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaeyi Ogunnaike, said the command was working to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and secure the release of the victims.

The police also clarified that, contrary to earlier reports, none of the abducted passengers was a serving NYSC corps member.