The 20 prospective corps members released by suspected kidnappers have reportedly been allowed to choose any of the six South-West states for their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) postings.
A parent of one of the survivors, who spoke to Punch on condition of anonymity on Friday, said the graduates could continue their service in any state in the region.
“They have been given the opportunity to choose states in the South-West to continue their service with the current batch,” she said.
The parent disclosed that the families paid N6m ransom for each captive to secure their release.
“As for the ransom, we eventually paid N6m each, but we wanted them freed before disclosing that,” she added.
A relative of another survivor, Joy Zainab, confirmed that family members and well-wishers contributed towards the ransom.
She said, “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.”
The accounts corroborated an earlier disclosure by Alirat Wahab, the mother of another survivor, who said the kidnappers initially demanded N50m per captive before eventually accepting N6m.
Speaking on News Central Television, Wahab said the kidnappers first reduced their demand to N15m before agreeing to the lower amount following appeals from the family.
“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 said relatives and well-wishers contributed to raising the ransom, adding that her husband and son met an intermediary in Ibadan, Oyo State, before the money was transferred into a designated account. The representatives were later instructed to convert the funds into US dollars upon arriving in Imo State.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the 20 prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, near Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, while travelling in two commercial buses operated by Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
They were reportedly heading to Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The police announced their rescue on Wednesday at Amakohia Ubi Village in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
However, the families disputed the police account, insisting that ransom payments secured the graduates’ release.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said on Thursday that he was unaware of any ransom payment, maintaining that sustained pressure forced the kidnappers to release the victims.
Similarly, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said the graduates were rescued through joint search-and-rescue operations involving security agencies.
The police said the victims were taken to the Department of State Services hospital in Owerri for medical evaluation.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, also visited them alongside senior security officials.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps.
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