The Imo State Police Command has dismissed reports that a ransom was paid to secure the release of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one other victim abducted in the state. The victims regained their freedom on Wednesday from Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West Local Government Area following a coordinated operation by security agencies.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday, stated that the command is unaware of any financial exchange. He claimed that the kidnappers succumbed to pressure and fled in disarray when joint security forces closed in on their hideout.
Bosso added that the freed victims are currently receiving medical attention and debriefing at the office of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Owerri.
The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road. They were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when the gunmen struck.
The abduction ignited panic among the victims’ families after reports emerged that the assailants demanded a ransom of ₦50 million for each captive.
Operatives had previously located the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance but could not launch an attack because the perimeter was mined with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The police eventually deployed additional operational assets to safely bypass the explosives and rescue the captives.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has commended the security agencies for their swift intervention.
In a statement he personally signed, Governor Uzodimma expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, attributing the successful rescue to the collaborative efforts of both the Oyo and Imo state governments.
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