Tragedy struck when Bekele’s sister, a student at Debark University in Ethiopia, went missing along with dozens of bus passengers, mostly students, who were kidnapped by gunmen last week. Bekele received a chilling ransom call demanding 700,000 Ethiopian birr for his sister’s release. In recent years, Ethiopia has seen a rise in kidnapping-for-ransom, especially in Oromia, the largest region in the country. The abductees were taken to a remote area believed to be controlled by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebel group.
Some managed to escape, sharing harrowing tales of beatings and fear. One student still in captivity relayed witnessing the gunmen killing others, leaving her family hopeless. Similar cases have occurred in the past, with university students being abducted without a trace. Families lament the lack of government action and support in these distressing situations, as they struggle to come up with exorbitant ransom amounts. The survivors recount the trauma and cruelty endured at the hands of the kidnappers, highlighting the urgent need for intervention and justice in Ethiopia’s kidnapping epidemic.