NYSC Abduction: Imo Police Says No Knowledge of Ransom Payment
The Imo State Police Command has said it was not aware of any ransom payment made for the release of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and another abducted victim.
The victims were kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State on October 1 while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
However, all 20 corps members and the other victim have now regained their freedom.
Imo CP speaks on NYSC abduction
The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, said the police did not receive any information about ransom being paid to the kidnappers.
Bosso made the clarification during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday.
According to him, the abductors released the victims after security agencies intensified operations around the forest where they were being held.
He said security operatives mounted pressure on the kidnappers by combing the area in an effort to rescue the victims.
The commissioner added that the rescued victims were receiving attention at a Department of State Services (DSS) facility.
Police tracked kidnappers’ camp
Following the October 1 attack, security agencies launched a coordinated search for the abducted NYSC members.
The Imo State Police Command had earlier disclosed that its operatives identified the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance.
However, officers could not immediately enter the location because the area was reportedly planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
As a result, additional operational resources were deployed as security agencies intensified efforts to reach the victims.
The operation eventually led to the release of the remaining abductees from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West Local Government Area.
Families faced ransom demand
The abduction caused anxiety among the victims’ relatives, particularly after reports emerged that the kidnappers demanded ₦50 million for each victim.
Police had earlier announced that 10 of the abducted persons had been rescued while the search for the others continued.
Also Read: Abducted NYSC member freed after mother pays N6m ransom
The latest development means the 20 prospective corps members and the additional victim have now been freed.
They were reportedly receiving medical attention in Owerri following their ordeal.
Uzodimma commends security agencies
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma commended the security agencies involved in the operation.
In a statement personally signed by him, the governor expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the Imo and Oyo state governments.
Uzodimma said the collaboration contributed to the efforts that resulted in the release of the captives.
The successful operation also brings relief to the families of the NYSC members, who had been waiting for news of their loved ones since the October 1 abduction.
For now, the Imo Police Command maintains that it has no knowledge of any ransom payment linked to the release of the victims.
