A coordinated security operation in Imo State has secured the release of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, bringing an end to a week-long search for the victims. A civilian abducted alongside them was also rescued.
The victims were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in the South-East when gunmen intercepted two buses around the Umunoha area of Imo State on October 1. The incident immediately triggered a multi-agency response involving the police, military and Department of State Services.
The rescue followed days of intelligence gathering and search operations. Police authorities had earlier disclosed that surveillance efforts helped locate the suspected kidnappers’ camp, although security operatives delayed entering the area after intelligence indicated that explosives had been planted around the location.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, had also deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, alongside senior officers to coordinate the response. Additional personnel and operational assets were deployed as security agencies intensified efforts to locate the victims and their abductors.
Confirmation of the release came on Wednesday, October 7, when Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma informed the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, during a telephone conversation at about 5pm. The monarch had been monitoring the situation because the victims were travelling from Oyo State when they were abducted.
The rescued victims are now receiving medical attention at a Department of State Services facility in Imo State, according to security reports. The circumstances surrounding their release and the status of efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction have not been fully disclosed.
The successful operation brings relief to the families and raises fresh attention on the security of major highways used by young Nigerians travelling to fulfil national obligations. For security agencies, the episode also highlights the importance of intelligence sharing and coordinated response when dealing with kidnappings involving large numbers of victims.
