The 20 prospective corps members recently released after being kidnapped in Imo State have reportedly been offered the opportunity to continue their national service in any of the six South-West states.
A parent of one of the graduates told Saturday PUNCH that the survivors had been given the option of choosing where to serve with the current NYSC batch.
The reported arrangement comes after the graduates were abducted while travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha Road earlier this month.
Parents allege ransom payments
Relatives of the released graduates say they paid N6 million per person to secure the victims’ freedom.
One parent, who requested anonymity, said the families waited until the graduates were released before speaking publicly about the payments.
Joy Zainab, a relative of another survivor, also confirmed that family members and supporters contributed financially towards the ransom.
In an earlier account, Alirat Wahab, whose family member was among those abducted, said the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million for each captive.
She explained that the demand was later reduced to N15 million before the kidnappers agreed to accept N6 million.
According to Wahab, relatives and well-wishers helped raise the money. She also described arrangements involving family representatives, an intermediary in Ibadan and instructions relating to the transfer and conversion of the funds.
The families’ accounts indicate that ransom payments were central to their efforts to secure the graduates’ release. However, the police separately announced that the victims had been rescued.
What happened to the 20 graduates?
The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 while travelling in two commercial buses belonging to Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
The buses were moving along the Owerri-Onitsha Road near Umunoha, in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. The passengers were reportedly travelling towards Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The police announced on Wednesday that the graduates had been rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village in Owerri West Local Government Area.
The families, however, challenged the official account, saying they had paid money to obtain the victims’ release.
Kidnap ordeal affects relatives
Beyond the financial burden, the incident has reportedly affected the health of some family members.
One mother said she and her daughter were receiving hospital treatment following the ordeal, adding that her blood pressure had risen because of the stress.
The reported South-West posting option could give the graduates an opportunity to continue their national service in a state of their choice.
However, the supplied report did not include an official NYSC statement confirming the arrangement, and the posting offer should therefore be treated as a reported development rather than a formally announced policy.
