The mother denied the police’s claims, saying a ransom was paid for the release of the kidnapped corps recruits

Claims by security agencies, particularly the police that no ransom was paid for the release of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) recruits, who were abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway last Thursday have been punctured by the mother of one of the victims.

The woman, Alirat Wahab, said contrary to police claims, N6 million was paid to secure the release of her son.

He spoke in an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday, where he said the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million for each victim before finally paying N6 million for his son.

“Initially, they asked us to pay N50 million per head. We asked if that amount was for all of them, but they insisted that no, it was for everyone. Then, we started asking them to take N500,000. But they said no and started scaring us,” he said in Yoruba.

“Three days ago, they called and said we have to pay N15 million. We kept begging them that all we had was N5.5 million. They refused and insisted on N6 million. So, N6 million is what we paid.”

When asked how they paid the ransom, he said the kidnappers asked the victim’s parents to send three representatives to meet them in Ibadan.

“They called all the parents of the victims. Twenty of them were in the bush. They then asked us to send three people each to meet them in Ibadan. My husband and my son’s older brother went,” he added.

“When they get to the meeting place, they ask them to send money to the account and when they get to Imo state, they have to exchange the money into dollars.”

Wahab said his eldest son was among those who met the kidnappers and brought them the ransom money.

“It’s not a rumor. They have all been released and sent to us. His brother was among those who met the kidnappers three days ago. They left with the ransom money,” he said.

“It was the brother who called us tonight and said that they had handed over the ransom money to the kidnappers and had released our son. We also spoke to the boy.”

He said the trauma of his son’s kidnapping made him unable to sleep while his son was held hostage.

“Since he was kidnapped, I’ve been defecating. I also couldn’t sleep. But I felt relieved when I heard they had been released. It was as if the chains around my body were off,” he said.

The NYSC recruits were kidnapped in the early hours of October 1 after gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses carrying passengers from Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, before taking them into the forest.

According to a viral video circulating on

Confirming the abduction, Henry Okoye, police spokesperson in Imo state, said the incident occurred at around 6.30am, adding that the 10 victims were immediately rescued.

Okoye said security operatives then embarked on intelligence-backed search and rescue operations to trace the suspects and rescue other victims.

On Saturday, the kidnappers contacted the parents of the corps members and gave them 24 hours to pay a ransom of N1 billion for the release of their children.

However, they later reduced the ransom to N5 million per head, bringing the total to N100 million for all victims.

Reacting, Tunji Disu, inspector general of police (IGP), deployed Shehu Nadada, deputy inspector general of police (DIG) in charge of operations, to coordinate rescue efforts of the corps members.

Anietie Iniedu, spokesperson for the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), said Nadada had arrived in Imo with two police commissioners and carried out a first-hand assessment of the operation.

He said the DIG reviewed the deployment of operational personnel and assets and issued directives to strengthen the coordinated response.

Announcing the release of the victims in a statement on Wednesday, a force spokesperson said the operation leading to their rescue was carried out by a joint team from the Department of State Services (DSS), military and police.

“The victims were rescued on October 7, 2026 in Amakohia Ubi Village, Imo State, after sustained search and rescue operations. They have been taken for medical examination and necessary treatment,” the statement read.