Imo police chief says unaware of ransom payment as family describes N6m contribution

Imo police commissioner Audu Bosso says he is unaware of any ransom payment for the release of 20 abducted prospective corps members and another hostage, while a victim’s family says it contributed N6 million for the release.

Bosso made the statement in a Channels Television interview on Thursday, a day after the captives regained their freedom. He said their abductors gave way under pressure from security agencies searching the forest.

His statement does not establish whether a payment was made. Punch reported a different account from Alirat Wahab, the mother of one of the prospective corps members, and her husband, who said parents pooled money to meet the kidnappers’ demands.

Wahab said her family borrowed money and received contributions from relatives and others to raise N6 million. She said her husband and the victim’s brother travelled to Imo, and that representatives were instructed to convert the money to dollars rather than transfer it to the abductors through a bank account.

Her husband said their contribution was N6 million while some other parents contributed N5 million. Wahab said her son’s elder brother called to say the captives had been handed over to those who delivered the money.

The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 along the Owerri–Onitsha Road while travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. They were freed from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West on Wednesday.

NaijaTrend reported their release and medical care here. Bosso said on Thursday that the freed victims were receiving care at the Department of State Services office.

Sources: Channels Television, Daily Post, Punch