The 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members released by kidnappers on Wednesday have reportedly been offered postings to any of the six South-West states.
A parent, who spoke to the press in confidence on Friday, said the survivors were allowed to choose the states where they would continue their national service.
“They have been given the opportunity to choose states in the South-West to continue their service with the current batch,” she said.
The parent also revealed that the families paid N6m in ransom for each of the graduates.
“As for the ransom, we eventually paid N6m each, but we wanted them freed before disclosing that,” she said.
A relative of another survivor, Joy Zainab, confirmed that family members and well-wishers contributed towards the N6m ransom.
She said, “Alhamdulillah, he has been released and is safe with us at home. Thank you to everyone who prayed, reached out, showed concern, shared his story, and supported us financially towards his ransom.”
The accounts backed up an earlier statement from Alirat Wahab, the mother of another victim, who said her family paid N6m after the kidnappers first asked for N50m per captive.
Speaking in an interview with News Central Television, Wahab said the kidnappers lowered their demand to N15m and then eventually accepted N6m after the family pleaded with them.
“Initially, they asked us to pay N50m per head. We asked whether the amount was for all of them, but they insisted it was per person, so we started begging them to take N500,000, but they refused,” she said.
Wahab stated that the kidnappers eventually consented to accept N6m.
She further noted that relatives and well-meaning Nigerians donated money to cover the demand.
She explained that the kidnappers told the families to send representatives to Ibadan, Oyo State, where her husband and son encountered an intermediary.
The money was later sent into a designated account, and the representatives were told to change the funds into US dollars once they reached Imo State.
The 20 prospective corps members were taken on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, near Umunoha in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, as they travelled in two commercial buses owned by Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
Reports indicate they were on their way to Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The kidnappers later demanded N50m for each graduate.
On Wednesday, the police announced that the abducted graduates had been rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The families, however, rejected the police rescue claim, maintaining that ransom was paid to secure their release.
The mother of another survivor said she and her daughter had been hospitalized after the incident.
“Both of us are in the hospital. We are receiving drips and treatment. My blood pressure shot up over this incident,” she stated.
A survivor, who spoke to newsmen on the phone, expressed gratitude for surviving the ordeal.
“I don’t want to remember it. I just want to give the glory to God. I thank God that I am alive,” the survivor said while declining further comment.
Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the Director-General of the NYSC, paid them a visit together with the Imo State Commissioner of Police and the Commander of the 34th Artillery Brigade.
This abduction, along with several other similar attacks on graduates making their way to national service, has reignited worries regarding the safety of prospective corps members who travel long distances to orientation camps.
On August 26, 15 prospective corps members who were journeying from Bayelsa State to Abuja were abducted on the Aloma-Egane Expressway in the Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
