Just In: Freed Prospective NYSC Members’ Parents Say Ransom Contributions, Including ₦6m Paid by a Family, Have Been Returned
|| The Cable
In a latest report by The Cable, Parents of some of the 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway have said the money contributed by their families as ransom has been returned, although they could not confirm whether the ransom was eventually paid to the kidnappers.
The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 after gunmen reportedly attacked two 18-seater buses conveying passengers from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to Anambra State.
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦1 billion from the victims’ families before reducing the ransom to ₦5 million per person, bringing the total demand for the 20 abductees to ₦100 million.
On Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, Anietie Iniedu, announced that the victims had been rescued after seven days in captivity during a joint security operation involving operatives of the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military.
The police said the victims were rescued in Amakohia Ubi village in Imo State.
Speaking after her son’s release, one of the parents, Alirat Wahab, told News Central that her family had paid ₦6 million to the kidnappers to secure his freedom.
However, in a follow-up interview with the media platform, her husband, Obasanjo, said he could not confirm whether representatives sent by the community had eventually paid the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
Obasanjo disclosed that all the affected families had received refunds of the money they contributed, including the ₦6 million paid by his family. He, however, did not disclose who returned the money or the circumstances surrounding the refunds.
“They went to look for the kidnapped corps members to see whether they would be freed or not,” he said.
“The kidnappers had asked for representatives to bring the ransom. Since they could no longer hold the corps members hostage, they let them go.”
When pressed for further details about the circumstances surrounding the release and the refund, Obasanjo urged the public to put the matter behind them and appreciate the Imo State Government.
“You know what, let’s forget the matter and just appeal to the Imo State Government. We should be grateful to them,” he said.
“The money has been returned. We just want to thank Imo for a job well done.”
Asked whether the ransom had been paid to the kidnappers, Obasanjo said the families could not confirm that it had been.
“We don’t know,” he said.
Obasanjo added that three representatives had been selected to act on behalf of the affected families, with one from his family and two from other families.
Alirat also confirmed that the money was returned to the representatives who had gone on behalf of the families, adding that every parent had received their contribution back.
“They returned it to those who went to represent us. Every parent has received their money back,” she said.
Source: The Cable