Tears, Relief As 20 Abducted NYSC Members Reunite With Families After Seven Days In Captivity

After seven terrifying days in captivity, 20 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) abducted in Imo State have finally reunited with their families in Ibadan, Oyo State, bringing an end to a painful wait filled with fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

The freed corps members were handed over to their families by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Oyo State at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to reports.

Their reunion came after their parents reportedly waited for approximately three hours at the DSS headquarters, anxiously awaiting the return of their children.

Before the handover, security operatives reportedly debriefed the victims as part of the process following their rescue.

For the young corps members, however, freedom came after what one of the victims described as a mentally and physically exhausting experience.

Speaking briefly after reuniting with their families, one of the freed corps members, Akande Morenikeji, said the seven days in captivity had taken a heavy toll on them.

“Ah, it was stressful, too,” she said.

Morenikeji also disclosed that the female victims were not chained or sexually harassed during their captivity, although restrictions were imposed on the male victims.

“We were not chained; the guys, yes, the guys mostly. But as for us, the girls, they did not do any sexual harassment to us. They did not do anything sexual to us,” she was quoted as saying.

HOW THE ORDEAL BEGAN

The corps members were abducted on Thursday, October 1, when gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State.

The buses, which were reportedly conveying the victims and other passengers, were intercepted by the attackers, who forced the occupants into the bush.

A video that subsequently circulated on X showed that the victims were travelling towards Akwa Ibom and Abia states in buses bearing the Abia State Government’s logo when the attack occurred.

The abduction triggered a security operation involving multiple agencies, while the victims’ families were left desperately hoping for their safe return.

THE ₦1 BILLION RANSOM DEMAND

As efforts to secure their release continued, the abductors reportedly contacted the victims’ parents on Saturday and demanded a ransom of ₦1 billion, giving them 24 hours to pay.

The kidnappers later reduced the demand to ₦5 million per victim, bringing the total ransom demand for the 20 corps members to ₦100 million.

The ransom demands heightened concerns over the fate of the young Nigerians, whose abduction had raised fresh questions about security along major highways in the South-East.

HOW SECURITY OPERATIVES SECURED THEIR RELEASE

Announcing the corps members’ release on Wednesday, Anietie Iniedu, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, said a joint team comprising operatives of the DSS, the military and the police carried out the rescue operation.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had also deployed Shehu Nadada, Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, to coordinate efforts aimed at securing the victims’ freedom.

According to the police spokesperson, Nadada travelled to Imo State with two commissioners of police to assess the situation and review the ongoing operation.

He reportedly reviewed the deployment of personnel and operational resources before issuing directives to strengthen the coordinated security response.

A PAINFUL WAIT ENDS

The reunion in Ibadan marked a significant moment of relief for the families who had spent days worrying about the safety of their children.

While the victims have now returned to their loved ones, their account of the ordeal offers a glimpse into the emotional and physical challenges they endured during their seven days in captivity.

Their release has also renewed attention on the security challenges confronting travellers on Nigerian highways and the urgent need for effective measures to prevent similar incidents.

For the 20 corps members and their families, the long-awaited reunion represents the end of a frightening chapter, even as they begin the process of recovering from the traumatic experience.