Twenty prospective corps members freed from kidnappers have returned to their families in Ibadan, Oyo State. The emotional reunion took place on Thursday after more than three hours of engagement with officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Some victims and parents were allowed into the DSS office. Others waited outside.
Tears and Relief
One victim broke down in tears the moment she saw her parents. She asked not to be named. “It was a horrible experience,” she said.
A parent, Mrs Faith Felicia Abiala, spoke shortly after holding her daughter again. She said she had been too devastated to eat on the day of the abduction. Now, she said, her heart was full of joy.
She also praised the DSS teams from Oyo and Imo states. According to her, they stayed with the families until the children came out safe.
Another parent, Alhaja Alimot Akande, described the news as a huge relief. She said she slept soundly for the first time in days once the release was confirmed.
How the Ordeal Began
The group of 30 was travelling from Oyo State to an orientation camp in Abia State. Gunmen seized 20 of them. The other 10 escaped through the bush.
The captives regained freedom seven days later. They were found along the Owerri-Onitsha road, in Umunoha, Imo State.
Ransom Claims Remain Unclear
The kidnappers first demanded N50m per victim, which came to N1bn. They later dropped the figure to N5m each, or N100m in total. The Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan, confirmed the amounts on Friday.
Some parents later said they paid the ransom in dollars. However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, gave a different account. He said pressure from security agencies forced the abductors to give in. Troops and police had combed the forest during the operation, he added. He said he knew of no ransom payment.
Call for Safer Travel
Mrs Abiala used the moment to appeal to the Federal Government. She said the incident showed how risky long road trips are for young graduates heading to their states of deployment.
She urged authorities to provide proper security for corps members. Otherwise, she said, they should let them travel by air.
Traditional Rulers Stepped In
Earlier, the parents had gone to the Ibadan home of the Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, on Saturday. They went with the state Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri. They begged for help.
After the release, the Olubadan’s media aide, Adeola Oloko, issued a statement. It said Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma confirmed the news to the monarch by phone at about 5pm on Wednesday.
