20 Rescued NYSC Members Return to Ibadan After Seven Days in Captivity

Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were rescued after spending seven days in captivity have returned to Ibadan, Oyo State, following their release by kidnappers in Imo State.

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The graduates arrived in Ibadan on Thursday, October 8, and were taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Aleshinloye, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, according to reports. The victims were among 30 prospective corps members travelling in two buses from Oyo State to their orientation camps in Abia State when gunmen abducted them along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State. Ten reportedly escaped during the attack.

The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦50 million for each victim, amounting to ₦1 billion, before reportedly reducing the demand to ₦5 million per person, or ₦100 million in total. However, it was not immediately clear whether any ransom was paid before their release.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, confirmed the victims’ release in a statement issued through his media aide, Adeola Oloko. He said Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma informed him of the development during a telephone conversation at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Before the rescue, the victims’ parents had appealed for assistance from traditional and security authorities, including Ladoja. The parents had also met with Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri, as efforts intensified to secure the graduates’ freedom.

The return of the rescued graduates brings relief to their families after days of uncertainty over their safety. Further details about their medical condition, the circumstances of the rescue and possible arrests were not provided in the information available.