The mother of a prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State has disclosed that her family paid ₦6 million to secure his release.
The woman, whose name was not disclosed, said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim before eventually agreeing to accept ₦6 million for her son.
She made the disclosure during an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday, following the release of the abducted prospective corps members.
Kidnappers Initially Demanded ₦50m Per Victim
Recounting the negotiations, the woman said the abductors initially demanded ₦50 million for each of the victims, leaving their families struggling to raise the money.
She said the families pleaded with the kidnappers to accept ₦500,000 but the demands remained high.
According to her, the abductors later reduced the amount demanded from her family to ₦15 million before eventually agreeing to accept ₦6 million.
“Three days ago, they called and said we should pay ₦15 million. We kept begging them that all we had was ₦5.5 million. They said no and insisted on ₦6 million. So, it’s that ₦6 million we paid,” she said in Yoruba.
Family Members Took Ransom To Abductors
The woman said the kidnappers directed the parents of the victims to send representatives to meet them in Ibadan.
She disclosed that her husband and elder son were among those who travelled to the meeting point to deliver the ransom.
According to her, the representatives were instructed to transfer the money into an account and later convert it to dollars upon reaching Imo State.
She said her elder son subsequently called to confirm that the ransom had been handed over and that the abductors had released his younger brother.
“It is not rumours. They have all been released and sent to us,” she said, adding that the family had also spoken directly with the freed victim.
Mother Recounts Trauma Of Son’s Abduction
The woman described the period her son spent in captivity as emotionally and physically distressing, saying the uncertainty over his safety affected her health and sleep.
“Since he was kidnapped, I have been stooling. I couldn’t sleep either. But I was relieved when I heard they had been released. It was as though the chains all over me were loosened,” she said.
Twenty Prospective Corps Members Abducted
The prospective corps members were reportedly abducted in the early hours of October 1 when gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses travelling from Ibadan along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The passengers were reportedly travelling to Akwa Ibom and Abia states for their NYSC orientation exercise when the attackers intercepted the vehicles and took some of them into a forest.
Imo State Police spokesperson Henry Okoye confirmed the incident, saying 10 victims were rescued shortly after the attack while security operatives launched operations to locate the remaining abductees.
The kidnappers later contacted the victims’ families and demanded a total ransom of ₦1 billion, reportedly giving them 24 hours to pay.
The demand was subsequently reduced to ₦5 million per victim, amounting to ₦100 million for the 20 prospective corps members.
Police, DSS, Military Rescue Victims
Following the abduction, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu deployed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Shehu Nadada to Imo State to coordinate efforts to rescue the victims.
The police also strengthened operations involving intelligence gathering and the deployment of security personnel and operational assets.
The Nigeria Police Force later announced that the victims were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State through a joint operation involving operatives of the Department of State Services, the military and the police.
The rescued victims were subsequently taken for medical assessment and necessary care.
