The Imo State Police Command has rescued 10 people abducted by suspected gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, as security agencies continue operations to locate the remaining victims and apprehend those responsible.
The rescue operation followed the attack on two buses carrying National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers near Umunoha in Imo State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, disclosed the development in a statement on Thursday, saying the rescued victims were safe and receiving attention.
“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to. The exact number of persons abducted is being verified and will be made public once confirmed,” the police said.
According to the Command, the two buses were attacked at about 6:30am on Thursday, October 1, 2026, near Umunoha along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The vehicles were carrying NYSC corps members and other passengers travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South.
One of the buses was reportedly heading to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while the other was travelling to Bende, Abia State, when armed men intercepted them.
The incident followed earlier reports that about 20 corps members were among those reportedly abducted while travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camps.
Search for remaining victims
Following the attack, the police said tactical teams and other operational assets were deployed to begin a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
The teams are using intelligence-led tracking to locate the suspected abductors and secure the release of anyone still being held.
The police said the operation would continue until all victims are accounted for.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, alongside other service commanders, visited the scene to assess the situation and provide operational direction.
“The Commissioner of Police, alongside other Service Commanders, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and to give operational direction. He assured the public that the Command will sustain the operation until all victims are safely recovered and the suspects are brought to justice,” the statement said.
The affected section of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway has since been reopened, with normal traffic movement restored.
Security personnel, however, remain deployed in the area to protect motorists and other commuters.
Police contact families
The Command said it was also working with the NYSC directorate to reach the families of the affected corps members and provide them with updates as the rescue operation continues.
The police appealed to members of the public to remain calm and vigilant and encouraged anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to share it with the authorities.
“All information will be treated in confidence,” the Command said.
It added that further information would be released as developments emerge.
Similar Kogi rescue
The Imo incident comes weeks after security forces rescued 15 corps members and six other people who had also been abducted in Kogi State.
The victims were recovered following a sustained intelligence-led operation in Egume Forest, while security agencies continued efforts to track down the kidnappers.
The latest rescue operation in Imo comes amid renewed concerns over the safety of corps members and other travellers using major highways to reach NYSC orientation camps across the country.
