The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) demands an urgent explanation from the Federal Government, the Imo State Government and the Nigeria Police Force over conflicting accounts surrounding the release of 20 abducted prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
HURIWA says the allegations by parents that they raised millions of naira to secure their children’s freedom raise serious questions that the authorities must address transparently.
The association urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma to clarify their respective positions and apologise to Nigerians if investigations establish that official statements created a misleading impression about the circumstances surrounding the victims’ release.
HURIWA notes that the police attribute the release to sustained search-and-rescue operations at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State, while the state government maintains that no ransom was paid.
However, accounts attributed to some parents tell a different story.
One mother, Alirat Wahab, reportedly told News Central Television that her family raised N6 million after the kidnappers demanded money for the release of their son.
Wahab said the abductors initially demanded N50 million for each of the 20 victims before negotiations led to a reduction in the amount demanded from her family.
“We only had N5.5m at the time, but they insisted on N6m,” she reportedly said.
Her husband also claimed that parents pooled resources, obtained loans and solicited contributions from relatives, friends and sympathisers to meet the demands.
Another mother reportedly told News Central that she paid N3 million after struggling to raise the money and sending someone to Imo State to deliver it.
HURIWA says these allegations warrant an impartial investigation, particularly because the families describe substantial financial sacrifices while the government insists that the victims were released without ransom.
The association stresses that a security operation and a possible ransom payment are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The critical questions are whether ransom was paid, whether security operatives conducted a rescue operation, and how these circumstances relate to the victims’ eventual release.
HURIWA therefore calls on the Inspector-General of Police to provide a detailed account of the operation and explain whether the police knew of any ransom negotiations or payments before the victims regained their freedom.
The association also urges the Imo State Government to explain the basis of its categorical denial of ransom payment and reconcile that position with the accounts attributed to the parents.
HURIWA cautions against treating the allegations as established facts before independent verification. However, it insists that the families deserve to be heard and that the authorities must provide evidence-based answers rather than leave the public to reconcile conflicting narratives.
The association warns that failure to address these questions could further weaken public confidence in security institutions at a time when Nigerians expect greater transparency and more effective action against kidnapping.
HURIWA calls on President Tinubu to urgently review the country’s security architecture, strengthen efforts to combat kidnapping and terrorism, and improve the protection of travellers on highways.
The association further insists that if an investigation establishes that any public official deliberately misrepresented material facts about the victims’ release, the relevant authorities must take appropriate action in accordance with the law. Where official statements prove inaccurate or misleading, HURIWA says the authorities should correct the record and offer an appropriate apology to Nigerians.
HURIWA welcomes the return of the 20 prospective corps members but maintains that their freedom must not end the search for answers. Nigerians deserve to know what happened, while the affected families deserve clarity about the circumstances surrounding their children’s release and recognition of the financial burdens they say they incurred.
Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
9 October 2026
