Parents of freed NYSC members have confirmed that ransom contributions made to secure their children’s release have been returned, days after 20 prospective corps members were abducted in Imo State. However, the families say they cannot confirm whether the money eventually reached the kidnappers, leaving questions about what happened during the negotiations.
Obasanjo and Alirat Wahab, parents of one of the rescued prospective corps members, disclosed the development in a follow-up interview with News Central Television. Their statements come after the abduction of the 20 graduates, reports of multimillion-naira ransom demands and the police announcement that a joint security operation had secured their freedom.
Parents Confirm Refund of NYSC Ransom Contributions
Obasanjo Wahab said the contributions made by the affected families had been returned, including the ₦6 million his family reportedly raised to secure their son’s release.
He expressed gratitude to the Imo State Government following the rescue operation, saying the families wanted to move past the incident.
“The money has been returned. We just want to thank Imo for a job well done,” he said.
However, the refund has not resolved the question of whether the kidnappers received any money during negotiations.
Asked directly whether the ransom was eventually paid, Obasanjo replied, “We don’t know.”
He explained that representatives had been selected from the affected families to negotiate with the abductors.
“They went to look for the kidnapped corps members to see whether they would be freed or not,” he said.
According to him, the kidnappers had requested that the representatives bring the ransom, but the victims were eventually released.
“The kidnappers had asked for representatives to bring the ransom. Since they could no longer hold the corps members hostage, they let them go,” he added.
Obasanjo also explained how the representatives were selected.“One person was chosen from my family and the other two from other families,” he said.
His account leaves a gap between the money contributed by the families and what ultimately happened during the negotiations. He did not identify who returned the money or explain the circumstances surrounding the refunds.
Alirat Wahab confirmed that the contributions had been returned through the representatives who acted on behalf of the families.
“They returned it to those who went to represent us. Every parent has received their money back,” she said.
Mother Reveals How Family Raised ₦6 Million
Before the refund announcement, Alirat had spoken publicly about the financial pressure her family faced while trying to secure her son’s release.
In an interview with News Central Television published on October 8, she said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each abducted prospective corps member.
She recalled how the family pleaded with the abductors to accept a smaller amount.
“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.
According to her earlier account, the demand was later reduced to ₦15 million for her son before the family eventually agreed to ₦6 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,” she said.
Alirat also explained that the family struggled to raise the money, relying on assistance from other people.
Her earlier account described how her husband and elder son were involved in the arrangements to meet representatives of the abductors. She said the family was subsequently informed that the ransom had been delivered and that her son had been released.
That account is important because it differs from the uncertainty expressed in her husband’s later interview. While Alirat previously said her family was informed that the money had been handed over, Obasanjo later said he could not independently confirm whether the representatives ultimately paid the kidnappers.
The available accounts do not establish exactly what happened to the money before it was returned.
How 20 Prospective NYSC Members Were Abducted
The incident began on October 1, 2026, when gunmen reportedly attacked two 18-seater buses conveying passengers along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.
The passengers included prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps travelling from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, towards destinations in the South-East and South-South.
Twenty prospective corps members were abducted during the incident, triggering days of anxiety for their families.
The kidnappers initially demanded ₦1 billion from the victims’ families before reportedly reducing the demand to ₦5 million per person, bringing the total to ₦100 million for the 20 abductees.
The families faced the difficult task of trying to secure the victims’ release while dealing with the financial demands and uncertainty surrounding their whereabouts.
The ransom controversy later became a major part of the story, particularly after relatives publicly discussed the amounts they had been asked to pay.
However, the subsequent refund announcement has introduced another question: who returned the money, and what happened to the contributions during the negotiations?
Obasanjo did not provide details about the person or organisation responsible for the refunds.
Police Announce Rescue of Abducted NYSC Members
On October 7, the Nigeria Police Force announced that the 20 prospective corps members had been rescued after seven days in captivity.
Police spokesperson Anietie Iniedu said the operation involved a joint team comprising police officers, Department of State Services personnel and military operatives.
The victims were reportedly rescued in Amakohia Ubi village in Imo State following search-and-rescue operations.
Their release brought relief to their families, who had spent days seeking information and trying to secure their freedom.
The rescue announcement also prompted renewed attention to the ransom allegations, as some relatives said they had contributed money in response to demands from the abductors.
The police announcement confirmed the rescue operation, but the parents‘ subsequent statements about the refunds have not established whether any ransom was ultimately received by the kidnappers.
Imo Police Commissioner Previously Said He Was Unaware of Ransom Payment
The question of whether ransom was paid has also drawn attention because of the police’s position.
Premium Times reported on October 9 that Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Bosso said he was unaware of any ransom payment for the abducted prospective corps members.
That statement differed from Alirat’s earlier account that her family had paid ₦6 million and had been informed that the money was delivered to the kidnappers.
Obasanjo’s subsequent statement that he could not confirm whether the money reached the abductors does not conclusively resolve the discrepancy.
It is important to distinguish between the families raising or contributing money, representatives handling negotiations and the kidnappers actually receiving a payment. The available accounts do not establish every step of that process.
Neither parent has publicly explained who facilitated the refunds or why the contributions were returned after the victims regained their freedom.
Father Urges Public to Appreciate Imo Government
Despite the unanswered questions, Obasanjo urged the public to focus on the successful rescue and appreciate the state government’s role.
“You know what, let’s forget the matter and just appeal to the Imo State Government. We should be grateful to them,” he said.
His remarks reflected the family’s relief following the return of the abducted prospective corps members.
For the parents, the immediate outcome is that their children are back and the contributions have reportedly been returned.
Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding the ransom remain unclear. The families’ accounts have established that money was raised, representatives were involved in negotiations and the contributions were subsequently refunded.
They have not, however, provided a definitive explanation of whether the kidnappers received the money.
Until further details emerge, the refund remains a significant development in the case, but not proof that no ransom was paid.
