The mother of a freed NYSC prospective corps member has revealed that she paid N6 million to secure her son’s release from kidnappers.
The young man was among prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were abducted after gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses in Imo State.
The buses were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway when the incident occurred on October 1.
The mother disclosed the ransom payment during an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday.
She said the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million for each victim before eventually reducing the amount demanded for her son to N6 million.
Kidnappers initially demanded N50m
According to the mother, the abductors initially demanded N50 million for each person in captivity.
She said the families tried to negotiate with the kidnappers because they could not afford the amount.
“They initially asked us to pay N50 million per head,” she said in Yoruba during the interview.
The family reportedly offered N500,000 at one point.
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However, the kidnappers rejected the offer and continued to demand more money.
The mother said the demand was later reduced to N15 million.
She explained that the family told the kidnappers they could only raise about N5.5 million.
According to her, the abductors eventually agreed to accept N6 million for her son’s release.
Family members delivered the ransom
The mother said the kidnappers instructed families of the abducted prospective corps members to send representatives for the ransom arrangements.
According to her, the abductors asked representatives of the families to meet them in Ibadan.
Her husband and her son’s elder brother reportedly went to the meeting.
She said the abductors later instructed them to transfer the money into an account.
The family representatives were also reportedly told to convert the money to dollars after reaching Imo State.
The woman said her elder son was among those who went to deliver the ransom.
Abducted NYSC members regain freedom
The mother confirmed that her son and the other abducted prospective corps members had been released.
She said her family received confirmation after the ransom was delivered.
According to her, her elder son called the family after the payment and confirmed that the kidnappers had released the young man.
The family was also able to speak directly with him.
The development brought relief to the relatives who had spent days waiting for news about their loved ones.
Mother describes trauma after abduction
The incident reportedly took a heavy emotional toll on the mother.
She said she struggled to sleep while her son remained in captivity.
The woman also described experiencing physical symptoms during the period.
She said she was relieved when she finally received confirmation that her son had been released.
The release ended days of uncertainty for the family.
How the NYSC prospective corps members were abducted
The prospective corps members were reportedly travelling in two 18-seater buses when gunmen attacked them on October 1.
The buses were travelling from Ibadan towards the southeastern part of the country.
The attack occurred along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The incident sparked concern over the safety of young Nigerians travelling for NYSC-related activities.
Following the abduction, families of the victims reportedly entered negotiations with the kidnappers.
The eventual release of the victims brought relief to their relatives.
Ransom payments remain a major security concern
The latest account has again highlighted the growing concern over ransom payments in kidnapping cases.
Families often face difficult choices when relatives are held captive.
In many cases, they must negotiate with abductors while also dealing with fear and uncertainty.
The N6 million payment disclosed by the NYSC member’s mother shows the financial burden kidnapping can place on families.
However, the account is based on the mother’s testimony and does not independently establish all details of the ransom negotiations.
Focus now shifts to security
With the prospective corps members now free, attention is expected to turn to the circumstances surrounding their abduction.
Security agencies will face renewed pressure to investigate the attack and prevent similar incidents along major highways.
For the affected families, however, the immediate priority is to reunite with their loved ones and help them recover from the ordeal.
The release of the prospective corps members has brought relief after days of anxiety.
Their case also highlights the continuing security challenges facing travellers on major roads across parts of Nigeria.
