Imo Police Commissioner Says He Is Unaware of Ransom Payment in Corps Members' Release

The Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, has said he is not aware of any ransom being handed over to secure the release of 20 abducted corps members and one other person who regained their freedom from captors in the state on Wednesday, October 7. Speaking in an interview with Channels TV, Bosso said the kidnappers gave in to pressure from security agencies that searched the forest during a rescue operation. He said his team responded quickly to the distress call. The operation, according to him, was carried out jointly by the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, Navy, Air Force, DSS and Civil Defence Corps. He added that they gathered their resources and moved into the bush, continuing their efforts to search every part of the area. Bosso said locations where intelligence was available were searched, especially the Amako community area, where the intelligence originated. He stated that the pressure mounted on the criminals eventually led them to release the prospective corps members, who were then rescued. When asked whether ransom was paid to secure the victims' release, Bosso said he had no such information. He maintained that, to his knowledge, no ransom was paid, and that the operatives acted as professionals, which was how the victims were recovered. Parents of some of the abducted corps members, however, insist that they paid ransom for their loved ones' release. One of the mothers said N6 million was paid to secure her son's freedom.