NYSC Abduction: Mother Reveals N6m Ransom Paid for Son’s Release

A mother whose son was among the NYSC members freed by kidnappers has disclosed that she paid N6 million as ransom for his release.

The prospective corps members were kidnapped on October 1 when gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses travelling from Ibadan in Oyo State along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway.

The woman made the disclosure during an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday, explaining that the abductors initially demanded N50 million for each victim but later agreed to accept N6 million for her son.

“Initially, they asked us to pay N50 million per head. We asked whether the amount was for all of them, but they insisted that no, it was for each person. Later, we started begging them to take N500,000. But they said no and started scaring us,” she said in Yoruba.

She said the kidnappers contacted them three days before the victims were released and demanded N15 million.

“Three days ago, they called and said we should pay N15 million. We kept begging them that all we had was N5.5 million. They said no and insisted on N6 million. So, it’s that N6 million we paid.”

The mother explained that representatives of the victims’ families were instructed to travel to Ibadan as part of the ransom negotiations.

“They called all the parents of all the victims. Twenty of them are in the bush. They then asked us to send three persons each to meet with them in Ibadan. My husband and my son’s elder brother went.

“When they got to the meeting place, they asked them to send the money to an account and that when they got to Imo state, they should change the money into dollars.”

She added that her elder son was part of the delegation that met the kidnappers and delivered the ransom.

“It is not rumours. They have all been released and sent to us. His brother is among the people who went to meet with the abductors three days ago. They left with the ransom,” she said.

The woman said her family later received confirmation that the ransom had been delivered and her son released.

“It was the brother who called us this evening to say that they had handed the ransom to the kidnappers and that they had released our son. We also spoke to the boy.”

Reflecting on the ordeal, the mother, whose identity was not disclosed, said the abduction severely affected her health and sleep.

“Since he was kidnapped, I have been stooling. I couldn’t sleep either. But I was relieved when I heard they had been released. It was as though the chains all over me were loosened,” she said.

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