Tears of joy flowed in Ibadan on Thursday as 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who were abducted in Imo State, reunited with their families after spending seven days in captivity.

The victims, who were rescued in Owerri on Wednesday, were travelling from Oyo State to their respective orientation camps in Abia State when they were kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha Road at Umunoha, Imo State.

The 20 were among 30 prospective corps members travelling together when the incident occurred, while the remaining 10 reportedly escaped through the bush.

The rescued victims were reunited with their parents on Thursday after more than three hours of engagement with officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Some of the parents could not hold back their emotions as they embraced their children, expressing gratitude to God and security operatives for their release.

One of the rescued victims, who requested anonymity, broke down in tears on seeing the parents and described the experience as horrible.

“It was a horrible experience,” the victim said.

A mother of one of the rescued candidates, Mrs. Faith Felicia Abiala, said she was devastated throughout the period her child was held captive and could hardly eat.

She thanked God for the safe return of the victims and commended the DSS teams from Oyo and Imo states for their efforts in securing their release.

Abiala urged the Federal Government to strengthen security along roads frequently used by prospective corps members travelling to their states of deployment.

She also suggested that the government consider air transportation arrangements for corps members travelling to orientation camps, particularly where road journeys pose serious security risks.

Another parent, Alhaja Alimot Akande, said the release of the victims had brought relief to their families, who had endured days of anxiety and uncertainty.

She said the families could now sleep peacefully following the return of their children.

The parents disclosed that the kidnappers 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 in total.

They also claimed that ransom was eventually paid in dollars before the victims were released.

However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, said the kidnappers yielded to pressure from security operatives, adding that he was unaware of any ransom payment.

The parents had visited the private residence of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, on Saturday, October 3, to seek his intervention in securing the release of the victims.

They were accompanied by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.

Olubadan, through his media aide, Adeola Oloko, had disclosed that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, confirmed the release of the abducted prospective corps members during a telephone conversation at about 5pm on Wednesday.