The 20 prospective corps members abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have reportedly been released after their families paid ₦6m ransom per captive, with the survivors now offered the opportunity to choose their preferred states for continued national service across the South-West.
The 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who were abducted by suspected kidnappers in Imo State, have reportedly regained their freedom after their families paid ₦6 million each in ransom.
The survivors have also reportedly been offered the opportunity to choose any of the six South-West states for the continuation of their national service with the current batch.
A parent of one of the victims, who spoke on Friday on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the affected graduates were given the option of selecting their preferred states for their service year.
According to the parent, the arrangement would enable the survivors to continue their national service despite the traumatic experience they endured during their abduction.
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The parent also confirmed that the families eventually paid ₦6 million for each captive to secure their release.
“As for the ransom, we eventually paid N6m each, but we wanted them freed before disclosing that,” the parent said.
Families, Well-Wishers Contributed to Ransom
The circumstances surrounding the release of the prospective corps members have also been confirmed by relatives of the victims, who disclosed that family members and well-wishers contributed financially towards the ransom payments.
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Joy Zainab, a relative of another survivor, expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the family during the ordeal.
She confirmed that her relative had been released and was safely back home with the family.
“Alhamdulillah, he has been released and is safe with us at home. Thank you to everyone who prayed, reached out, showed concern, shared his story and supported us financially towards his ransom,” she said.
The accounts corroborate an earlier disclosure by Alirat Wahab, the mother of another victim, who revealed that her family paid ₦6 million after the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million per captive.
Speaking in an interview with News Central Television, Wahab explained that the abductors repeatedly reduced their ransom demand following appeals from the victims’ families.
According to her, the kidnappers initially insisted on ₦50 million for each captive, rejecting the family’s attempt to negotiate a lower amount.
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“Initially, they asked us to pay N50m per head. We asked whether the amount was for all of them, but they insisted it was per person, so we started begging them to take N500,000, but they refused,” she said.
Wahab disclosed that the kidnappers later reduced the demand to ₦15 million before eventually agreeing to accept ₦6 million.
She added that relatives and other well-meaning Nigerians rallied around the affected families to help raise the money required to secure the release of their loved ones.
How the Ransom Was Paid
Wahab further narrated how the kidnappers allegedly instructed the families to send representatives to Ibadan, Oyo State, to facilitate the ransom negotiations.
She said her husband and son travelled to meet an intermediary as directed by the abductors.
The money was subsequently transferred into a designated account. The representatives were also instructed to convert the funds into United States dollars upon arrival in Imo State.
The disclosures have highlighted the financial and emotional burden placed on the victims’ families, who were compelled to raise substantial sums of money while desperately seeking the safe return of their loved ones.
Corps Members Abducted Along Owerri-Onitsha Road
The 20 prospective corps members were reportedly abducted on October 1 while travelling in two commercial buses operated by Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
The incident occurred along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
The graduates were travelling when they were intercepted by suspected kidnappers, triggering a desperate search for their whereabouts and efforts by their families to secure their release.
Their reported freedom brings relief to their families and loved ones, who endured days of uncertainty while trying to raise the ransom demanded by their abductors.
The reported offer of postings to states across the South-West is also expected to give the survivors an opportunity to continue their national service away from the immediate location of the abduction.
However, further official clarification from the NYSC on the reported posting arrangement, as well as details of any ongoing investigation into the abduction, would help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The case once again draws attention to the security challenges facing travelers on Nigerian highways and the difficult choices families face when loved ones are held hostage.
