The 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and another person who were abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have regained their freedom following a coordinated rescue operation by security agencies.
The victims were rescued from the Amakohia-Ubi forest in Owerri West Local Government Area and have since been taken to the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri for medical attention and necessary checks.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, is currently at the DSS clinic in Owerri, where he is meeting with and addressing the rescued victims.
He was accompanied by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS and the Brigade Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade, Imo State.
Details surrounding the rescue operation, including whether any suspects were arrested or whether ransom was paid, have not been disclosed.
The prospective corps members were abducted on October 1 while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The victims were travelling in two buses when they were attacked around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
Security agencies subsequently launched a search-and-rescue operation aimed at locating the abducted corps members and their captors.
The Imo State Police Command later disclosed that its operatives had identified the kidnappers’ camp through drone surveillance.
However, officers could not immediately access the location because it was reportedly surrounded by improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Additional operational equipment, including bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers, was subsequently deployed as security agencies intensified efforts to reach the victims.
The abduction had caused significant concern among the victims’ families, particularly after reports emerged that the kidnappers were demanding ₦50 million for each victim.
Police had earlier announced that 10 of the abducted persons had been rescued, while operations continued to locate the remaining victims.
The latest rescue means the 20 corps members and the other abducted victim have now been freed and reunited with safety, with all of them receiving medical attention in Owerri.
Uzodimma Commends Security Agencies
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has praised the security agencies for their efforts in securing the release of the 20 prospective corps members.
In a statement personally signed by him, the governor said he was particularly pleased with the cooperation and patriotism displayed by the security agencies during the operation.
Uzodimma also commended the collaboration between the Imo and Oyo State Governments, saying their joint efforts contributed to the release of the remaining captives.
He explained that because the incident involved the safety of human lives, authorities deliberately avoided releasing extensive information while the rescue operation was ongoing.
The governor expressed appreciation for the discreet and coordinated approach adopted by the security agencies in handling the situation.
He also praised the victims’ parents for their patience and urged Nigerians to continue to have confidence in the Federal Government as efforts continue to address the country’s security challenges.
