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Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps members rescued after seven days in captivity have arrived in Ibadan, Oyo State, where they are currently being attended to by security authorities.
The victims arrived at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Aleshinloye, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, on Wednesday.
Checks by The PUNCH showed that only representatives of the victims’ parents were allowed into the DSS premises, while other relatives and sympathisers waited outside.
The 20 graduates were among 30 prospective corps members travelling from Oyo State to orientation camps in Abia State when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State.
Ten others escaped from their abductors through the bush during the attack.
The victims who were taken captive were held for seven days before their release at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State.
The abduction had triggered widespread concern after the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million for each victim, putting the total ransom at ₦1 billion.
The demand was later reduced to ₦5 million per person, amounting to ₦100 million for the 20 victims.
However, the Imo State Police Commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, said no ransom was paid for their release, adding that security agencies were responsible for the operation that freed them.
The development came after the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to coordinate the search for the abducted graduates.
Parents of the victims had also sought intervention from traditional rulers and security authorities as pressure mounted for the safe release of their children.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, later confirmed their release after receiving a telephone call from Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma.
The freed victims were subsequently taken to Ibadan, where they are expected to receive further attention as their families await their return.
