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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.
According to NTA, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), military and police arrested the suspects during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states between October 10 and 14.
The report said three other suspects escaped during the operations with varying degrees of injuries.
TheCable reported that the corps members were abducted in the early hours of October 1 after gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses conveying passengers from Ibadan, Oyo state capital, and took them into the bush.
According to a video circulated on X, the victims were travelling to Akwa Ibom and Abia states in buses branded with the Abia state government logo when the attackers intercepted the vehicles.
Henry Okoye, police spokesperson in Imo, said the incident occurred at about 6:30am, adding that 10 victims were rescued immediately.
The abductors subsequently contacted the parents of the corps members, demanding a ransom of N1 billion and giving them 24 hours to pay for their children’s release.
The kidnappers later reduced the ransom to N5 million per person, bringing the total demand to N100 million for the 20 victims.
On October 7, Anietie Iniedu, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), announced that a joint team of DSS, military and police operatives had rescued the victims.
Iniedu said the corps members were rescued at Amakohia Ubi village in Imo following sustained search-and-rescue operations.
However, Alirat Wahab, mother of one of the freed NYSC members said in an interview with News Central Television, that N6 million was paid to secure her son’s release, contradicting the security agencies’ account.
Alirat and her husband Obasanjo later said that the money their family contributed towards the ransom had been returned.
