Micheal Chukwuebuka, Reporting
A mother of one of the 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State has revealed how her family borrowed money and received contributions from relatives and friends to raise the ₦6m demanded by the kidnappers.
Alirat Wahab said the abductors initially demanded ₦50m for each victim but later reduced the ransom following negotiations with the parents.
She said the kidnappers first agreed to accept ₦5m but later increased the demand to ₦15m before eventually settling for ₦6m from her family.
According to her, relatives, friends and other individuals contributed various amounts ranging from ₦5,000 to ₦50,000, while the family also borrowed money to complete the ransom.
Mrs Wahab said the parents of the abducted prospective corps members were summoned to Ibadan, Oyo State, and instructed to send representatives to Imo State with the ransom.
She disclosed that her husband and the victim’s elder brother were among those who travelled to Imo State, where they were instructed to convert the money to dollars before handing it over.
“We borrowed money, and others helped us. Some gave ₦20,000, some ₦50,000, some gave what they had. We went to borrow more money, and that was how the total money was completed to ₦6m,” she said.
Her husband also confirmed that the parents pooled resources to meet the kidnappers’ demands, saying their family contributed ₦6m while some other families paid ₦5m.
He said the parents also contributed ₦100,000 each to support the representatives who travelled to Imo State.
The family’s account contradicts the Imo State Government’s claim that no ransom was paid for the victims’ release.
Reacting to the government’s position, the father said, “They lied! We the parents gathered that money together.”
The 20 prospective corps members were abducted while travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camp in Abia State. They were reportedly kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.
The police later confirmed their rescue at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State, saying the victims were taken for medical assessment while efforts continued to apprehend the abductors.
