The mother of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who was rescued in Imo State disclosed that her family paid N6 million to secure his freedom, speaking out about the ordeal during a Wednesday interview. Her account explain a kidnapping that began with a N50 million per‑person demand and ended with the release of twenty corps members and a civilian on October 7, 2026, along the Owerri‑Onitsha Expressway.
Ransom negotiations and payment
According to the woman, who asked to remain unnamed, the abductors first asked for N50 million for each of the twenty‑one victims. She said the families initially believed the figure represented a total sum for all captives, but the kidnappers clarified it was per person. “They 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,” she recounted to News Central Television.
Negotiations continued for several days. The kidnappers later lowered their ask to N15 million, yet the family could only muster around N5.5 million. After further talks, the final amount settled on was N6 million, which the mother says was handed over to secure her son’s release.
Journey of the ransom
The kidnappers instructed families to send representatives to a meeting point in Ibadan. The mother’s husband and her elder son travelled to the location to deliver the money, as she explained. Once there, they were told to transfer the funds into a bank account that would later be converted to dollars upon arrival in Imo State. Her elder son was among those who physically carried the cash to the hand‑over site.
After the money was delivered, the son called his family to confirm the payment had been received and that the NYSC corps member was being freed. “We also spoke to the boy,” the mother said, referring to the young man who had been holding her son captive.
Rescue operation and aftermath
Security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, conducted a joint operation that rescued the twenty NYSC members and a civilian at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State on the same day the ransom was paid. Police statements confirmed the operation’s success, noting that the victims had been released after the payment was made.
The mother described the emotional toll the captivity took on her. She admitted she could not sleep and suffered severe distress throughout the period. “Since he was kidnapped, I have been stooling. I couldn’t sleep either,” she said, illustrating the personal anguish behind the headline figures. When news arrived that her son was free, she expressed a sense of relief that “the chains all over me were loosened.”
The incident highlights the growing pattern of kidnappings targeting NYSC corps members, a demographic that often travels long distances for their year‑long service placement. While the NYSC scheme is designed to promote national integration and provide young graduates with work experience, the route along the Owerri‑Onitsha Expressway has become a known hotspot for bandits seeking high ransoms.
Families of the other abducted corps members have not publicly disclosed the amounts they may have paid, but the mother’s testimony suggests that negotiations can be protracted and that demands can fluctuate dramatically. The shift from N50 million per person to a final payment of N6 million for her son indicates both the kidnappers’ willingness to bargain and the families’ limited capacity to meet such exorbitant sums.
Wider implications and next steps
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to curbing kidnappings along major highways, citing the October 7 rescue as evidence of effective inter‑agency cooperation. However, the episode show the financial burden placed on victims’ families, many of whom are ordinary Nigerians with modest means.
The mother’s decision to speak publicly may encourage other families to come forward, potentially prompting a review of how ransom demands are handled and how security forces respond to such crises. No official statement has yet been released regarding possible legal actions against the kidnappers, nor have there been announcements about compensation for the families involved.
As the nation watches the fallout, the focus remains on preventing future abductions, ensuring the safety of NYSC members, and addressing the root causes of banditry that continue to threaten travel routes across the country. The story of the N6 million payment adds another chapter to the ongoing dialogue about security, ransom negotiations, and the human cost of kidnapping in Nigeria.
