Twenty prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), abducted while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their orientation camp in Abia State, have regained their freedom after seven days in captivity.
The victims, who were kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, are currently receiving medical attention at the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri.
Their release was confirmed on Wednesday by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, and the Managing Director of Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nigeria Limited, Isiah Akpan.
The 20 graduates were travelling in two buses from Ibadan to the NYSC orientation camp in Bende, Abia State, when gunmen reportedly attacked the vehicles in the early hours of Thursday.
The abductors were said to have initially demanded a ransom of N50 million for each victim, amounting to N1 billion, before reportedly reducing the demand to N5 million per person, or N100 million for the 20 victims.
Following their release, the victims were taken to the DSS Hospital in Owerri for medical assessment and treatment.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, visited the victims at the facility to assess their condition and offer support.
Nafiu was accompanied during the visit by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Imo State.
The NYSC director-general also addressed the rescued prospective corps members during the visit.
The abduction had raised fresh concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling to orientation camps, particularly amid growing insecurity along major highways in the South-East.
The victims were scheduled to report to their orientation camp in Abia State when the journey was disrupted by the attack.