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

Petrol Subsidy Return Could Cost Nigeria Over N20tn Yearly—Oyedele

The Federal Government has warned that returning to a blanket petrol subsidy regime could cost Nigeria more than N20 trillion annually, as the administration seeks alternative ways to cushion the impact of rising fuel and transportation costs.

Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has maintained that reversing the petrol subsidy removal would place a huge burden on government finances and potentially undermine the fiscal gains of the 2023 reform.

The warning comes amid renewed calls for government intervention as petrol prices, transportation costs and inflation continue to put pressure on households and businesses.

An earlier estimate by the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) put the potential annual cost of restoring a universal petrol subsidy at about N19.16 trillion, based on an assumed daily petrol consumption of 50 million litres and an indicative subsidy of N1,050 per litre. The organisation rounded the figure to nearly N20 trillion and warned that the actual cost could vary depending on crude oil prices, exchange rates, consumption, refining or landing costs and the regulated pump price.

The estimated burden translates to about N52.5 billion daily and N1.575 trillion monthly, according to the CPPE calculation.

The group warned that such spending could compete with funding for infrastructure, healthcare, education, security, agriculture and social protection, while potentially widening the fiscal deficit and increasing borrowing and debt-servicing pressures.

Oyedele has also said the removal of the subsidy generated significant fiscal resources. The Federal Government has put the savings mobilised between June 2023 and December 2025 at N15.8 trillion, with about N5.4 trillion accruing to the Federal Government and N10.4 trillion shared among states and local governments.

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However, the subsidy debate has intensified as Nigerians contend with renewed increases in the cost of petrol and the knock-on effects on transportation, logistics and household purchasing power.

The Federal Government has therefore introduced a series of measures designed to provide relief without returning to a blanket fuel subsidy.

Among the measures is a 30-day discount on petrol sold through NNPC stations, with public transport operators expected to receive priority. The government has stressed that the arrangement is not a subsidy but a temporary discount intended to ease the immediate pressure on consumers.

The government has also proposed a N1,350-per-litre ceiling on petrol landing or ex-gantry costs, with the mechanism expected to be reviewed monthly. Under the proposal, refiners and importers would absorb temporary cost increases above the ceiling and recover the difference when market conditions improve.

Another major component is the planned use of forward crude sales to domestic refineries, aimed at providing refiners with greater certainty over crude supply and helping to moderate the impact of international crude prices and foreign-exchange fluctuations.

The government is also accelerating the deployment of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a cheaper alternative for transportation. Officials say more than 120,000 CNG-powered vehicles, over 400 conversion centres and dozens of refuelling facilities are already part of the programme.

The administration has further announced plans to remove selected levies and regulatory costs that add to transportation and logistics expenses, while expanding targeted support for vulnerable households and small businesses.

The government is also considering an excess profit tax on businesses deemed to be taking undue advantage of current market conditions. Proceeds would be directed towards measures such as transport support and vouchers for vulnerable households.

Oyedele has repeatedly argued that these measures are intended to address the consequences of high fuel prices without recreating the fiscal and market distortions associated with the former subsidy system.

The CPPE has similarly urged the government to retain the downstream petroleum reforms while providing targeted relief through affordable mass transportation, improved electricity supply, food-production support, stronger social protection and measures to reduce energy and logistics costs for businesses.

The debate is expected to remain contentious as political parties and other stakeholders differ over whether Nigeria should maintain the current market-based petrol pricing system or introduce targeted intervention to shield consumers from further price shocks.

For the Federal Government, the challenge is to balance economic reforms and fiscal sustainability with immediate relief for Nigerians facing higher living and transportation costs.

The administration insists that its latest interventions are aimed at achieving that balance without returning the country to a blanket petrol subsidy regime.

Petrol Subsidy Return Could Cost Nigeria Over N20tn Yearly—Oyedele

Man Allegedly Caught Using Old Tyres to Scam POS Operator

A man was reportedly caught in an alleged attempt to scam a POS operator by presenting old and damaged car tyres wrapped in nylon as new ones in exchange for cash.

The incident, captured in a video circulating on social media, reportedly occurred after the man approached a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator seeking cash.

According to reports, the man claimed that he wanted to make a withdrawal but that a bank transfer had failed because of network problems.

He allegedly asked the operator to release the cash and offered several tyres wrapped in nylon as collateral, claiming they were new and promising to return later to redeem them.

The unusual arrangement reportedly attracted the attention of people around the POS stand, who became suspicious of the man’s explanation.

The packages were subsequently opened, revealing that the tyres were allegedly old, worn and damaged, rather than the new tyres he was said to have presented them as.

The discovery reportedly sparked a confrontation, with a crowd gathering around the man after the alleged scheme was exposed.

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The circulating video shows the man being confronted by people at the scene. Reports also indicate that he was at risk of mob action before the situation was brought under control.

It remains unclear where exactly the incident occurred, while the man’s identity has not been publicly established.

There is also no confirmed police statement indicating whether he was formally arrested, questioned or charged over the alleged incident.

The reported incident has drawn attention to the risks faced by operators in Nigeria’s expanding POS business, where agents routinely handle cash and electronic transfers for customers.

POS operators have previously been targeted by different forms of fraud, including fake bank alerts, disputed transfers and attempts to persuade agents to release cash before transactions are independently confirmed.

The alleged tyre scheme appears to have relied on a combination of urgency, a failed-transfer claim and the appearance of the wrapped items to convince the operator to release cash.

The incident has also highlighted the dangers of jungle justice, with observers urging people who encounter suspected fraud to alert law-enforcement authorities rather than resorting to violence.

For POS operators, the incident serves as another reminder to independently confirm that funds have been credited before releasing cash, regardless of screenshots, verbal explanations or items offered as security.

The allegation against the man has not been tested in court, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Man Allegedly Caught Using Old Tyres to Scam POS Operator