We paid N6m before they freed my son

The mother of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who was recently rescued after being abducted in Imo State has revealed that his family paid N6 million to secure his release.

The woman disclosed this while recounting the family’s experience during her son’s captivity.

Twenty NYSC members and a civilian were reportedly rescued on October 7, 2026, after being abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.

The victims were rescued at Amakohia Ubi Village, Imo State, during a joint operation involving security agencies.

Kidnappers Demanded N50m Per Person

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, said the abductors initially demanded N50 million for each of the victims.

She explained that the family initially thought the N50 million was the total ransom for all the abducted corps members, only for the kidnappers to clarify that the amount was demanded per person.

Speaking during an interview with News Central Television on Wednesday, October 7, the woman said the families continued negotiating with the kidnappers.

She recalled that the abductors later reduced their demand to N15 million, but the family told them they could only raise about N5.5 million.

The negotiations eventually ended with the family paying N6 million for her son’s release.

“They said we should pay N15 million. We kept begging them that all we had was N5.5 million. They said no and insisted on N6 million. So, it’s that N6 million we paid,” she said.

Family Members Took Ransom to Imo

The mother said the kidnappers instructed the families to send representatives to a meeting point in Ibadan.

Her husband and her son’s elder brother reportedly travelled to the location as part of the arrangements for the ransom payment.

She said the representatives were instructed to transfer the money into an account and later convert it to dollars after arriving in Imo State.

Her elder son was reportedly among those who physically delivered the ransom.

After the money was handed over, he contacted the family to confirm that the payment had been made and that the abducted NYSC member had been released.

“We also spoke to the boy,” the mother recalled.

Mother Describes Ordeal During Son’s Captivity

The woman also opened up about the emotional strain she experienced while her son was in captivity.

She said she struggled to sleep and was constantly distressed throughout the period.

“Since he was kidnapped, I have been stooling. I couldn’t sleep either,” she said.

She added that news of her son’s release brought her immense relief.

“But I was relieved when I heard they had been released. It was as though the chains all over me were loosened,” she said.

The Nigerian Police Force had confirmed that the NYSC members and the civilian were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia Ubi Village as security agencies intensified efforts to secure their release.

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“We negotiated from ₦50M to ₦5M for my son, but the kidnappers refused, demanded ₦15M, we later settled for ₦6M, they asked to change it to dollars. So we flew the money from Ibadan to Imo State, before they released him.”

— Mother of one of the NYSC victims speaks. https://t.co/fZjcDqkOyE

— Trending Explained (@TrendingEx) October 8, 2026