Police chief speaks on alleged ransom payment for freed 20 NYSC members

The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, says he was not aware of any ransom payment for the 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were freed.

Mr Bosso spoke on Thursday afternoon during an interview on Channels TV, which was monitored by PREMIUM TIMES.

The commissioner’s reaction followed widespread claims of ransom payments by some parents of the 20 prospective NYSC members who were released on Wednesday, exactly one week after they were abducted on 1 October.

The NYSC members were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when they were abducted at about 6:30 a.m. on 1 October along the Owerri-Onitsha Road by Umunoha in Imo State.

Not aware of ransom

Speaking during the interview, Mr Bosso insisted that the abductors freed the victims following intense pressure from joint security operatives.

“To my knowledge, no,” he responded when asked if any ransom was paid to secure the victims’ release.

The police commissioner continued: “I am not aware whether a ransom was paid or not. We did what we were supposed to do as professionals, and that was how we got them.”

Meanwhile, in separate interviews with News Central TV, some parents of the abducted NYSC members claimed that they paid between N5 and N6 million to the abductors to secure the victims’ release.

Alirat Wahab, mother of one of the victims, told the TV station that her family paid N6 million ransom to the abductors who asked them to convert it to dollars.

Suspects arrested?

Speaking at the TV show, Mr Bosso admitted that none of the abductors had been arrested at the moment, but claimed operations were still ongoing to track down the attackers.

“As we speak, we still have ongoing coordinated operations – combing the bushes to make sure that the perpetrators are arrested,” he said.

Avoiding recurrence

Mr Bosso said, to avoid recurrence of the kidnapping attack, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Duso, had deployed more tactical teams to the area.

“As we speak, mobile men are on the ground, and the intelligence response team is equally on the ground. We have fortified the axis where the attack happened and the entire state,” he said.