Gunmen who kidnapped passengers including students of the University of Nigeria travelling to Nsukka along the Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka Road on Sunday have contacted family members of their victims demanding a ransom of N300 million.
It is unclear how many people were kidnapped but sources said they were more than 10.
A relation of one of the victims disclosed that the abductors contacted his family and demanded they collectively raise N300 million to secure the release of the abductees.
According to him, the kidnappers were seven in number.
He said the abductors rejected the N500,000 offered as a ransom to secure the release of the students. They instead, asked them to start preparing for their burial if “we’ll even see their bodies to bury.”
“They are now threatening that they will kill all of them if the money is not complete.”
It was learnt that some passengers were killed a few metres from the military checkpoint along Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road on Sunday.
The passengers were reportedly travelling in five vehicles when they were attacked by the gang. Some narrowly escaped.
Many of the passengers were students of the University of Nigeria, who were returning to school following the suspension of eight months of industrial action by lecturers and the subsequent resumption of academic activities.