The Imo State Police Command says it is unaware of any ransom payment for the release of the 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one other person abducted in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday.
Bosso said the kidnappers succumbed to pressure from security agencies after operatives combed the forest during a coordinated rescue operation. He added that the rescued victims were receiving attention at the Department of State Services office.
The victims were abducted on October 1 along the Owerri-Onitsha Road while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
Following the incident, security agencies launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the victims and their abductors.
The Imo State Police Command had earlier disclosed that its operatives located the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance but could not immediately enter the area because it was reportedly planted with improvised explosive devices.
Additional operational assets were later deployed as security agencies intensified efforts to reach the victims.
The abduction had caused concern