How Parents Raised Millions to Free 20 Abducted NYSC Members

How Parents Raised Millions to Free 20 Abducted NYSC Members

Parents of the 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State have disclosed that they paid millions of naira in ransom to secure their children’s release, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the freedom of the victims.

The families’ accounts contradict the position of the Imo State Police Command, which said security operatives secured the victims’ release through sustained search-and-rescue operations.

Some parents reportedly paid between N3 million and N6 million, while others said they borrowed money to meet the demands of the kidnappers after days of anxiety over the safety of their children.

The 20 prospective corps members were abducted on October 1, 2026, while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The victims were travelling in two buses when gunmen attacked them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Imo State.

They regained their freedom on October 7, after spending several days in captivity.

One of the mothers, Alirat Wahab, said the abductors initially demanded N50 million for her son’s release before reducing the amount to N15 million.

According to her account, the family pleaded with the kidnappers, explaining that it could not afford the amount demanded.

She said the abductors eventually insisted on N6 million, which the family raised with the assistance of relatives and other supporters.

Wahab said family members travelled to arrange the ransom payment, with the money reportedly converted into dollars before it was delivered in Imo State.

Another mother said she paid N3 million after struggling to raise the money while fearing for her child’s life.

She explained that she had to make frantic efforts to gather the funds before arranging for someone to deliver the money to the kidnappers.

The father of another abducted prospective corps member said his family members pooled resources to raise N6 million to secure his son’s release.

The father, who identified himself as a farmer, expressed relief at his son’s safe return but lamented the financial burden created by the payment.

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He said some family members had borrowed money to contribute to the ransom, leaving them with the challenge of repaying the debt.

The revelations have generated questions about whether the victims were freed solely through security operations or whether ransom negotiations also played a role.

However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said he was unaware of any ransom payment.

Speaking during an interview with Channels Television, Bosso maintained that security agencies mounted sustained pressure on the kidnappers by combing the surrounding forests and pursuing intelligence leads.

He said the operation involved the police, Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

According to the police commissioner, the joint operation continued until the abductors eventually released the victims.

Bosso said that, to his knowledge, no ransom had been paid, while adding that security operatives were continuing efforts to apprehend those responsible for the abduction.

The Nigeria Police Force had earlier announced that the 20 prospective corps members were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia-Ubi in Imo State following sustained search-and-rescue operations.

The victims were subsequently taken for medical assessment and other necessary care.

The police also said efforts were ongoing to track down and prosecute the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the accounts provided by the parents have renewed calls for greater transparency regarding the circumstances of the victims’ release.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has also called for clarification on whether the prospective corps members were rescued during the security operation or released after negotiations with their abductors.

The organisation said the circumstances surrounding their freedom deserved further explanation, particularly in view of the families’ claims that they paid ransom.

The safe return of the victims has brought relief to their families, but the reported payments have left some relatives facing substantial financial difficulties after borrowing money to secure their loved ones’ release.

The incident has also renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerians travelling across the country, particularly young people heading to NYSC orientation camps.

As investigations continue, the circumstances surrounding the reported ransom payments and the role they may have played in the victims’ release remain unresolved.

How Parents Raised Millions to Free 20 Abducted NYSC Members