The abductors of two nurses of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in Edo State, have demanded the payment of N17 million for the release of the victims.
Both nurses identified as Osemelu Lydia and Ovbiosu Bose, were snatched last Wednesday at Oluku in Ovia North East local government area of Edo State where they had gone to take their children from school.
They were said to have been on their way home, after picking up their children from school, when they were forcefully taken away in a vehicle to an unknown destination.
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.
He said, “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.
“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.”
Osigbeme 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.