-
A mother of one of the freed prospective NYSC members says she paid ₦6 million ransom to secure her son’s release after kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million.
-
The abductors reportedly demanded the ransom separately for each victim and later instructed relatives to deliver the money through representatives.
-
The woman said her son and the other abducted prospective corps members have now been released after days in captivity.
-
She described the ordeal as traumatic, saying she could neither sleep nor function normally while her son remained in the kidnappers’ custody.
October 08, (THEWILL) – A mother of one of the prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) freed after being abducted in Imo State has disclosed that her family paid ₦6 million ransom to secure her son’s release.
The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, made the revelation in an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday, recounting how the abductors initially demanded ₦50 million for each of the victims before eventually reducing the ransom for her son to ₦6 million.
The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 after gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, through the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
According to the woman, the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim, creating severe financial pressure on the families who were desperate to secure the release of their loved ones.
“Initially, they asked us to pay ₦50 million per head. We asked whether the amount was for all of them, but they insisted that no, it was for each person. Later, we started begging them to take ₦500,000. But they said no and started scaring us”, she said, adding that the kidnappers later contacted the families and reduced the amount demanded from her family to ₦15 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 stated.
The woman said the abductors subsequently instructed the parents of the victims to send representatives to meet them in Ibadan as part of arrangements for the ransom payment.
She explained that three representatives were requested from each family, adding that her husband and elder son were among those who went to the meeting.
“They called all the parents of all the victims. Twenty of them are in the bush. They then asked us to send three persons each to meet with them in Ibadan. My husband and my son’s elder brother went”, she added.
According to her, the abductors instructed the representatives to transfer the ransom into an account and later convert the money into dollars after reaching Imo State.
She said her elder son was among those who eventually delivered the ransom to the kidnappers.
“It is not rumours. They have all been released and sent to us. His brother is among the people who went to meet with the abductors three days ago. They left with the ransom”, she noted.
The mother said her elder son later contacted the family to confirm that the ransom had been handed over and that the abductors had released his younger brother.
“It was the brother who called us this evening to say that they had handed the ransom to the kidnappers and that they had released our son. We also spoke to the boy”, she added.
READ ALSO:
Traumatic Ordeal
The mother described the period of her son’s captivity as one of the most distressing experiences for her family, saying she suffered severe emotional and physical strain while waiting for his release.
She said she could hardly sleep and experienced persistent health challenges throughout the period.
“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.
Background
The prospective corps members were travelling from Ibadan towards the South-East and South-South regions for the NYSC orientation exercise when the buses came under attack on October 1.
The abduction triggered concerns among relatives and heightened calls for the safe rescue of the victims. The disclosure by the mother provides an account of the ransom negotiations and the eventual payment that preceded her son’s release.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
