Security operatives have arrested five suspected members of the gang linked to the abduction of 20 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Imo State, while three other suspects reportedly escaped with varying degrees of injuries.
According to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the police arrested the suspects during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states between October 10 and 14.
The arrests followed the abduction of 20 corps members in the early hours of October 1, when gunmen reportedly attacked two 18-seater buses conveying passengers from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and whisked the victims away into the bush, TheCable reported.
A video circulated on X showed that the corps members were travelling to Akwa Ibom and Abia states in buses bearing the Abia State Government logo when the attackers intercepted the vehicles.
Henry Okoye, the Imo State police spokesperson, said the incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m., adding that 10 of the victims were rescued shortly after the attack.
The abductors subsequently contacted the victims’ parents and demanded a ransom of N1 billion, giving them 24 hours to pay for their children’s release.
The kidnappers later reduced the demand to N5 million per victim, bringing the total ransom to N100 million for all 20 corps members.
On October 7, Anietie Iniedu, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), announced that a joint team of DSS, military and police operatives had rescued all the abducted corps members.
Iniedu said the victims were rescued in Amakohia Ubi village, Imo State, following sustained search-and-rescue operations.
However, the circumstances surrounding their release raised questions after Alirat Wahab, the mother of one of the rescued corps members, told News Central Television that N6 million had been paid to secure her son’s freedom.
Her account appeared to contradict the security agencies’ announcement, although the details of the alleged payment were not fully clarified in the reports.
Alirat and her husband, Obasanjo, later disclosed that the money their family contributed towards the ransom had been refunded.
