Kidnappers of two nurses attached to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in Edo State are demanding N17 million as ransom for the release of the victims.
The nurses identified as Osemelu Lydia and Ovbiosu Bose, were abducted at their children’s school on Wednesday at Oluku in Ovia North East local government area of Edo State.
They were said to have been on their way home, after picking up their wards from school, when the kidnappers got them.
Sources said the kidnappers demanded N15 million for the release of one of the nurses and two million naira for the other.
Branch Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Austin Osigbeme, said the kidnappers later reduced the ransom.
“They have not released them. They are asking for a ransom. They started with N15m and two million naira but have started beating it down to one million,” Osigbeme said.
“But these are poor people that have no money to pay and that is why we are having that delay.
“They (families) have been apprehensive and having feelings of uncertainty, not sure of what is happening to their wives and sisters.”
The chairman said that the proposed strike by nurses in UBTH have been shelved because “we will not allow people to force us to behave in the way that they want us to behave”.
“We decided to call off the strike and see what happens this week. We are praying,” he added.
