Families of the 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State have contradicted the official account of their release, insisting that they raised millions of naira and paid ransom to secure the freedom of their loved ones.
One family disclosed that it raised ₦6 million through donations, contributions and loans after kidnappers threatened the lives of the abducted graduates. The revelation has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the victims’ release and the conflicting accounts given by relatives and security authorities.
The 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. Gunmen reportedly attacked the buses conveying them along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.
The incident triggered days of anxiety as families appealed to the authorities for help, while reports emerged that the abductors were demanding substantial sums for the victims’ release.
Alirat Wahab, the mother of one of the abducted prospective corps members, said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim before negotiations reduced the amount demanded from her family.
According to her account to News Central Television, the abductors later demanded ₦15 million. The family pleaded that it could only raise ₦5.5 million, but the kidnappers eventually insisted on ₦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. <Cite refs={[“turn834600search1″,”turn519924search7”]}/>
Wahab explained that raising the money required help from relatives, friends and other well-wishers, with some people contributing as little as ₦5,000 and others giving ₦20,000 or ₦50,000. The family also borrowed money to make up the required amount.
She said representatives of the affected families met in Ibadan to coordinate the payment. According to her, the abductors instructed them to arrange the money and convert it into US dollars after reaching Imo State.
The family further claimed that her elder son was among those who travelled with the money and later contacted them to confirm that the abductors had released his younger brother.
However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said he was unaware of any ransom payment. Speaking to Channels Television on October 8, he maintained that security agencies had conducted sustained search-and-rescue operations and that the kidnappers eventually released the victims under pressure from operatives.
The Nigeria Police Force had earlier announced that the 20 prospective corps members were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia-Ubi Village in Imo State following a coordinated operation involving security agencies. The victims were subsequently taken for medical assessment and care.
The conflicting accounts have become a major point of concern. While the police have attributed the release to their operation, the families insist that ransom negotiations and payments played a role in securing their children’s freedom.
Other relatives have also reported paying millions of naira. One family said it paid approximately ₦3 million, while another described borrowing ₦6 million and struggling with how to repay the debt after the ordeal. The reported amounts differed from one family to another.
Beyond the dispute over ransom, the incident has renewed concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling to their NYSC orientation camps. The victims were graduates beginning the process of national service when they were caught up in the attack.
For the affected families, the safe return of their children brought relief, but the financial burden of raising ransom money has reportedly left some facing significant debts.
As of the latest reports, the discrepancy between the families’ accounts and the police explanation had not been publicly resolved. The authorities have said efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction are continuing, while the families’ allegations remain central to questions about how the victims ultimately regained their freedom.
