Kidnappers who abducted prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Imo State initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim before settling for ₦6 million for one of them, the mother of a freed corps member has revealed.

The woman, who spoke to News Central Television after her son was released, said the kidnappers later reduced their demand to ₦15 million before accepting ₦6 million from her family.

“Initially, they asked us to pay ₦50 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 ₦500,000. But they said no and started scaring us,” she said.

She said the family continued negotiating with the abductors until they agreed to accept ₦6 million.

“Three days ago, they called and said we should pay ₦15 million. We kept begging them that all we had was ₦5.5 million. They said no and insisted on ₦6 million. So, it’s that ₦6 million we paid,” she said.

According to the mother, the abductors directed the parents of the victims to send representatives to meet them in Ibadan, Oyo State, to arrange the ransom payment.

She said her husband and her son’s elder brother went to the meeting, where they were instructed to transfer the money into an account and later convert it to dollars for delivery in Imo State.

“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 said.

The woman said her family was later informed 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,” she said.

She described the period of her son’s captivity as traumatic, saying she struggled to sleep and suffered severe physical distress while waiting for his release.

“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.

The 20 prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 after gunmen attacked two buses travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.

The Nigeria Police Force later announced that the victims were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia Ubi Village following sustained search-and-rescue operations involving the police and other security agencies. They were subsequently taken for medical assessment and necessary care.

The family’s account of ransom payment has emerged alongside the official rescue account, while security agencies continue efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the abduction. Other relatives have also reported paying millions of naira to secure the release of their loved ones. (The Sun)