Parent reveals family paid ₦6m ransom to secure abducted NYSC member’s release

A family of one of the 20 prospective NYSC members abd¥cted in Imo State has revealed that it paid ₦6 million in ransom to secure their son’s release.

The mother disclosed this during an interview with News Central TV, explaining that relatives and other individuals contributed money towards the ransom before the family borrowed additional funds to complete the payment.

“We paid 6 million from our own side,” she said.

She explained that the family had to rely on contributions from others and borrow money before they could raise the full ₦6 million demanded.

The woman’s husband also insisted that the kidn@ppers collected ransom, contradicting the Imo State Government’s claim that no ransom was paid for the victims’ release.

According to him, while some families paid ₦5 million, their own family paid ₦6 million. He said the parents met in Ibadan to pool the money together before appointing two or three people to travel to Imo State and deliver the ransom.

He added that the money was converted to dollars because that was what the kidn@ppers demanded.

“Beyond that 6 million, there were other levies requested by the kidn@ppers. We even paid another 1 million each for filing,” he said.

The 20 prospective corps members were abd¥cted on October 1, 2026, while travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

They were reportedly intercepted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.