Imo CP denies ransom for release of abducted NYSC members

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, has denied knowledge of payment of any ransom for the release of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.

Bosso, who spoke during an interview with national television, yesterday, said the abductors were forced to release the victims following a sustained pressure mounted by security operatives.

He said the joint security operatives responded swiftly and immediately they received a distress call on the abduction of the corps members.

Bosso said: “We responded swiftly to the distress call. This was a joint operation involving the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, Navy, Air Force, DSS and Civil Defence Corps.

“We galvanised our resources and went into the bush. We did not relent in our efforts and tried as much as possible to make sure that all the crannies within the bush were combed”.

He added that areas around the Amako community, where security agencies received intelligence, were thoroughly searched.

“At the end of the day, because of the pressure we gave the hoodlums, they eventually released the prospective corps members, and we got them rescued,” he said.

The commissioner was subsequently asked whether ransom had been paid to secure the victims’ release, following reports that families of the abductees had collectively paid about N120 million.

Bosso said he was not aware of any ransom payment.

“To my knowledge, no. I am not aware whether a ransom was paid, but we did what we were supposed to do as professionals, and that’s how we got them,” he said.

His comments came hours after a parent of one of the abducted prospective corps members disclosed that families had paid ransom to the kidnappers.

The mother, who spoke to a television station, said her family paid N6 million in dollars for the release of her son. She said the abductors initially demanded N50 million per victim after allowing the abducted corps members to speak with their relatives to establish that they were still alive.

“The terrorists first demanded N50 million. They gave the abductees a phone to confirm that they were alive. We now asked if the money is for all of them, they said no. The money is for each of them,” she said.

She said the families initially offered N500,000, but the abductors rejected the offer and threatened to kill the victims. She said after further negotiations the abductors eventually reduced their demand to N6 million per victim, which her family paid.

“It was later they agreed for us to pay N6 million and that was what we paid,” she said.

The mother added that parents of the victims in Ibadan held a meeting to coordinate the payment and agreed to convert the money to dollars before taking it to Imo State. She said her son’s brother was part of the negotiating team that travelled to the state with relatives of other victims and later confirmed that the ransom had been paid.

However, Bosso said security operatives remained focused on tracking down the perpetrators. He disclosed that security personnel were still combing the area in an effort to arrest the abductors.

The police commissioner also said the rescued victims were receiving medical attention at the DSS hospital and would, subsequently, be handed over to the Director-General of the NYSC.

“They are ill and hurting. The corps members have no serious complaints. They are ill and hurting, and as we speak, the Director-General of NYSC is on the ground and, as soon as we are done, they will be handed over to the Director-General for the need to be done,” he said.

Bosso further disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police had deployed additional tactical teams to Imo State following the abduction.

He said mobile police personnel and intelligence response teams had also been deployed to strengthen security along the Owerri-Onitsha Road and other identified flashpoints across the state.

“We’ve fortified access not only where this incident happened, but across the entire state where we feel are flashpoints,” Bosso said.

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