Tears of Joy As 20 Rescued NYSC Candidates Reunite With Families In Ibadan
Tears of joy flowed in Ibadan on Thursday as 20 Prospective Corps Members abducted in Imo State reunited with their families after spending seven days in captivity.
The victims were rescued in Owerri on Wednesday. They were travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camps in Abia State when they were kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road at Umunoha, Imo State.
The 20 were among 30 Prospective Corps Members travelling together. Ten others reportedly escaped through the bush during the attack.
The rescued candidates were handed over to their parents on Thursday after over three hours of debriefing by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The reunion was emotional as parents embraced their children, thanking God and security agencies for their release.
One of the rescued victims who pleaded anonymity broke down in tears on seeing his parents.
“It was a horrible experience,” he said.
A mother of one of the victims, Mrs Faith Felicia Abiala, said she was devastated throughout the period and could hardly eat.
She thanked the DSS teams from Oyo and Imo States for securing their release and urged the Federal Government to strengthen security on routes frequently used by Prospective Corps Members.
She also called on the government to consider air transportation for corps members deployed to high-risk areas.
Another parent, Alhaja Alimot Akande, said the release had brought relief to families after days of anxiety.
“We can now sleep peacefully,” she said.
The parents disclosed that the kidnappers initially demanded N50 million per victim, amounting to N1 billion, before reducing it to N5 million each, totalling N100 million.
They claimed ransom was eventually paid in dollars before the victims were released.
However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said the kidnappers yielded to pressure from security operatives, adding that he was not aware of any ransom payment.
The parents had visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his private residence on Saturday, October 3, to seek his intervention.
They were accompanied by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola and the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.
Olubadan’s media aide, Adeola Oloko, said Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State confirmed the release of the victims during a telephone conversation with the monarch at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday(Guardian)
