Mother Pays N6 Million Ransom for Freed NYSC Member

The mother of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, who was abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, disclosed that she paid N6 million for her son's release. The abduction occurred last Thursday when gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses carrying passengers from Ibadan, Oyo State.

Initially, the kidnappers demanded N50 million per victim but later reduced the ransom after negotiations. The mother stated that after several discussions, they settled on N6 million.

The kidnappers instructed the victims' parents to send representatives to meet them in Ibadan, where the ransom was to be transferred to an account and converted into dollars. The woman's elder son was among those who delivered the ransom.

Following the payment, the victims were released, and the mother expressed her emotional distress during her son's captivity, stating it affected her health and sleep. Henry Okoye, the Imo State police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and mentioned that 10 victims were rescued immediately after the attack.