The government has refunded ransom money paid by families of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo State, according to Obasanjo Wahab, father of one of the victims.
Wahab disclosed this during an interview with News Central Television, saying his family had received a refund of the ₦6 million it contributed towards securing his son’s release.
He declined to explain how the refund was arranged or identify the government agency responsible, urging Nigerians instead to appreciate the government’s role in securing the victims’ freedom.
The disclosure has renewed questions about the circumstances surrounding the release of the 20 prospective corps members, particularly whether ransom payments were made before they regained their freedom.
The victims were abducted on October 1, 2026, while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. Gunmen reportedly intercepted their buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.
In an earlier interview with News Central TV, Wahab’s wife, Alirat, explained how the family struggled to raise ₦6 million after the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim.
She said the abductors later reduced their demands but eventually insisted on ₦6 million from her family. Relatives, friends and other contributors helped raise the money, while the family also borrowed to meet the demand.
According to the family’s account, the parents of the abducted youths coordinated their fundraising efforts in Ibadan and sent three representatives to Imo State to deliver the money.
The representatives were reportedly instructed to convert the funds from naira to dollars before handing them over to the kidnappers. Each family also contributed an additional ₦100,000 to cover transportation and other logistical expenses for the representatives.
Wahab’s latest disclosure that the money has been refunded raises further questions about who returned the funds and whether the ransom had been delivered to the kidnappers before the victims were released.
The police had earlier announced that the 20 prospective corps members were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia Ubi village in Imo State following search-and-rescue operations involving police personnel and other security agencies.
The Nigeria Police Force said the victims were taken for medical assessment and necessary care after their recovery, while efforts continued to apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
However, accounts from the victims’ families pointed to ransom negotiations and payments as part of efforts to secure their release.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, told Channels Television that he was unaware of any ransom payment. He maintained that the victims were recovered following sustained security operations, including the combing of surrounding forests.
The conflicting accounts have left key questions unanswered about the circumstances of the victims’ release and the subsequent refund of the money contributed by their families.